Safety First
by rozisa
Summary: Bruce is willing to risk having a relationship with Tony but they need a few ground rules in place.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers. Marvel is lucky because I tend to break my toys.

xxxx

Tony grabbed Bruce's hand. "Let's go to the bedroom."

"We can neck on the couch," said Bruce. "I'll need a pulse meter before we do anything more exciting. The other guy broke my last one."

"Jarvis, monitor Dr. Banner's pulse," said Tony. "Anything over 180 let me know."

"165," said Bruce. "By 180, I'm well on the way to becoming the other guy and there's a lot of deep breathing involved to calm me down."

"No aerobic exercise for you," teased Tony.

"Deep breathing, meditation," said Bruce. "I can do this. Do you really think I've gone 10 years without a hard-on?"

"I suppose not." Tony sat on the sofa and motioned for Bruce to join him.

"Adrenaline sets him off, so I need to distance myself from my body," explained Bruce. "I've been beaten up and not changed."

"I want you to be aware of me." Tony put an arm around Bruce. "If you need to be off in lala land, then I rather do without."

"We'll work on it," said Bruce.

"Can alcohol help take the edge off?"

"My father was an alcoholic, so I never tried drinking, but the amount of drugs the military has pumped me with would lead me to believe my tolerance is high." This conversation was making him anxious and anxious was bad - very bad. Bruce rested against Tony, letting Tony's touch calm him. "You might know that numbers since I'm sure the helicarrier computers weren't the first computers you've hacked into. It isn't like Ross and Talbot were going to tell me what drugs they were giving me and the dosage."

"General Ross once shot you with a tranquilizer dart meant for a bull elephant." Either Tony didn't know the dosages off-hand or was scared that Bruce knowing the dosages would aid him if he ever tried to end his life, again. Knowing Tony, it was the latter. "I can see you drinking pure grain alcohol and only getting a little tipsy, besides we want you aware." Tony then smiled. "We are over-thinking this. Beta-blockers will work."

"Beta-blockers can cause erectile dysfunction," said Bruce.

Tony kissed Bruce's cheek. "Why must you see the glass as half-empty?"

Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "Because it is."

Tony put his arms around the man, leaning against him on the sofa. "Do you know talking about sex with you is very unromantic?"

"We can just snuggle like we are now until we have beta-blockers," suggested Bruce. "Dr. Stern's formula is on the laptop Pepper had received from India. Why reinvent the wheel?"

"Is this formula safe?"

"I've modified it," said Bruce. "You see my eyes go green, you stab me with a needle. Don't wait. Needles don't penetrate the other guy's skin."

"And it works?"

"I've tested it," said Bruce. "It works. We just have to make up a batch."

Pepper entered the room to see Bruce resting with Tony's arms around him. "You two cozy?"

When Bruce went stand, Tony grabbed into Bruce tighter and said,"Bruce is staying here awhile."

"I told him he could stay the night," said Pepper.

"If you are uncomfortable about me being here, I can leave," said Bruce.

"I wouldn't have asked you to stay if I didn't mean it." Pepper sat down on a chair. "Dr. Banner, you're welcome to stay as long as you need."

"You aren't nervous about the other guy?" asked Bruce.

"Yes, I'm nervous, but you saved Tony's life and Tony wants you here," said Pepper.

Tony kissed Bruce's cheek then put a hand through his curly hair. "See. No problem."

"Is Bruce sharing your room?" asked Pepper.

"Not tonight," said Tony.

"Bruce, Tony is a playboy." Leaning forward, Pepper looked straight at Bruce. "He isn't going to be anymore faithful to you than he is to me. I accept Tony's philandering because he always comes back to me."

Bruce swallowed hard.

"I can be your friend or I can be your enemy. Just remember I'm Tony's main squeeze. You're just side candy." Pepper had gumption - calling the Hulk side candy. Then she lived with Tony and, probably, seen it all. She wasn't a woman to mess with.

Bruce thought he should leave now. Being a third in their sex games wouldn't be good for his stress levels. Then again, Tony hid in his room because Bruce walked around town a bit after the shwarma, so leave or stay he was part of the equation.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers. They belong to Marvel

xxxx

"I can do side candy." Bruce winked at Tony. "50 dollars for a blowjob. No funny stuff."

"You're joking?" said Tony.

"I preferred working as a dishwasher or a gardener while I was in Canada, but money is money," Bruce explained. "Nothing wrong with making a lonely man happy for a few minutes. I always worried that a john would be wanting something kinky and my green body guard would show up, but it never happened."

"I thought you couldn't have sex due to your green body guard," said Tony.

"It's sex for my john. It's work for me - no excitement, no racing heart, no adrenaline." Bruce licked his lips slowly, letting Tony see him wet his upper then lower lip. "After we get a working beta-blocker, my tongue will take you to new places."

Pepper started laughing. Tears started running down her eyes because she was laughing so hard.

"Pepper, this is serious," said Tony.

Pepper said, between giggles, "You brought home a male prostitute."

"Dr. Banner is a bio-physicist," said Tony. "He has made amazing strides in physics and in medical research."

Pepper hit her hand on her lap before standing. "Have fun with your new toy." Then she walked out of the room still smiling.

"No one tried to rape you?" asked Tony.

"I only did it for a couple of weeks until I got a job doing landscaping. I much rather plant trees." Bruce said in a Mexican accent, "_Roberto Gomez, si. No hablo ingles._"

"Gomez like Gomez Addams?"

"I have to remember my aliases. It would look funny if I didn't turn around when my name was called. I got called Gomez the whole time. A lot of our clients were French Canadian. I really don't speak a word of French."

"I speak French. I can teach you sometime."

Bruce laughed. "I enjoyed working with the other illegals. That job lasted until the Canadian autumn took our jobs away."

"You're amazing." Tony wrapped his arms around Bruce tighter. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that."

Bruce touched Tony's hands around his waist. "I really enjoyed Canada, except the few times I woke up naked. I'm not going back though - too cold. Plenty areas of the world where they can use a doctor - even an unlicensed one."

"Do you want to go back to practicing medicine in India?" asked Tony.

"Or some other country. My radioactive blood means I can't get infectious diseases." Bruce enjoyed being in Tony's arms, but him telling Tony that he wasn't too fussy about employment opportunities, probably, soured the relationship before it started. "It's one of the few gifts the other guy gave me. I'm not going to waste that gift. I love that you want me to stay, but you have Pepper."

"What about Candy-land?" Tony wasn't turned off because Bruce worked in the sex trade.

"I'm not leaving tomorrow. We have work to do. Fury is going to want us to do consulting on the Chitauri. We have a lot of reverse engineering to do. The world is counting on us."

Tony moved, slightly, to look Bruce in the eye. "You mean it?"

"The Chitauri are seriously pissed off with us right now," said Bruce. "We need to plan for their next attack, besides Natasha said Fury wanted me for my brain. I plan to make him live up to that. You will need a bio-physicist to figure out how the mothership exploding killed all the Chitauri."

"Some kind of invisible umbilical cord must have connected them to the mothership," said Tony. "Or they're just bodies and their brains are on the mothership. Once we have a body or two here to examine, we will learn more."

"Alien autopsies that can keep me here."

Tony said, "What about my charming personality?"

Bruce beamed. "Us, mad scientists, live for alien autopsies." Tony's charming personality could only keep him around so long. Bruce was used to being on the move. He didn't like staying in one place too long. It just wasn't in his nature anymore.

xxxx

The next morning, Bruce called Fury. "I'll need a body or two to examine. I'm the best bio-physicist you have. A team would also be nice."

Tony was still asleep. Then Tony didn't strike Bruce as an early riser.

"Dr. Banner, when do you give orders?" said Fury.

"The Chitauri used Loki. There will be another attack." Bruce put his hand around his coffee cup but didn't drink any. "You need me unless you lied about needing my knowledge and you just wanted me in a cage."

Fury didn't sound pleased. "You will have your Chitauri corpses and a team."

"Thank you. It is a pleasure doing business with you. When will I have the corpses? I hope you froze them." Bruce wrinkled up his nose just thinking about decaying alien flesh.

"You can take them out of the Helicarrier freezers yourself," said Fury.

"This afternoon around twoish work for you?" said Bruce. "Mr. Stark and I have a project to complete this morning."

"Should I also have a team by then?" said Fury.

"See if you can ring Dr. Elizabeth Ross. She turned down a job offer from Mr. Stark, but she may work for you."

"Anyone else you want for this team?"

"You pick. I've been out of circulation for about 10 years. You would know the all-star talent better than I."

"They'll need security clearances," said Fury.

"Cut the bullcrap," said Bruce. "I don't have the security clearance needed to take out the trash. Just get me a team."

"Do you want Mr. Stark on your team?"

"No way. Mr. Stark will be too busy reverse engineering the gliders and the leviathans."

"I thought Mr. Stark was out of the weapons business."

Bruce took a sip of his coffee. "If the Chitauri come back to finish the job, Mr. Stark's new found morals won't matter a cow's ass."

xxxx

Author's Note: I apologize for the two bovine-related curses. But Bruce just got back from India and those stupid cows have the right of way and are always blocking foot traffic.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers they belong to Marvel. And Dr. Martha Jones belongs to BBC. See endnote.

xxxx

After getting off the phone with Fury, Bruce finished his breakfast and went to the lab to work on the beta-blocker. When he had a working sample, he said, "JARVIS, wake up Mr. Stark and ask him to come to the pharmaceutical lab in 62nd floor."

"As you wish, Sir," said the disembodied British voice.

Bruce looked at the clock. 9:30. It must have been around 7 o'clock when he called Fury - no wonder the man wasn't in a good mood. If SHIELD never lost him, then they knew he was a resourceful man that could get himself from Canada to Asia without a passport. As he filled a couple syringes with the beta-blocker for easy access, Bruce waited for Tony to join him in the lab. It was Candy-land. He hadn't worked with equipment of this quality since the super-soldier serum project. Better quality since this equipment was top of the line and used technology that wasn't even around ten years ago. He could stare at the electron microscope, watching how his modified serum interacted with his mutated blood for hours while taking notes to make more improvements.

It would keep him from changing into the other guy, but they wouldn't know until they tried it what the side effects were. It would be useless as a sex aid if it caused erectile dysfunction. Then it would be back to the drawing board. Bruce told himself to see the glass as half-full. This would work.

Finally, Tony came into the lab, kissed his cheek then said, "Good morning."

"You're, finally, up," said Bruce. "While you were sleeping, I talked to Fury. He's going to get me some Chitauri bodies. I'll need to be at the helicarrier by two o'clock. I also have a working beta-blocker - packaged and ready for use."

"You really didn't speak English the whole time you worked as a landscaper?" asked Tony.

"A little Spanglish," Bruce admitted. "Then everyone says they can't speak English when they must have learned a little on the trip from Mexico to Canada. You forget I've traveled from the lab the other guy escaped from to Brazil mostly by foot."

"Are you ready for your tour?" asked Tony.

Bruce gave Tony a hug and a big kiss on the lips. "Lead the way."

Tony took Bruce's hand. "How do I know how much is you and how much is you playing a role?"

Bruce looked at his hand in Tony's. "I'm always me even when I'm using an alias. I hope you don't mind, but I told Fury that you would be interested in looking at the Chitauri technology."

"You really think they will attack, again?"

"Nothing is a hundred percent, but if not the Chitauri, some other hostile alien force," said Bruce. "We need to be ready. The Tesseract is a two way street. They know we're here."

"Thor said as much."

"I didn't survive 10 years on the run by burying my face in the sand. You said I tiptoe. I tiptoe for a reason."

"You need to strut," said Tony.

"I stood up to Fury this morning." Bruce smiled. "I think he respected me for it. Then it's easier with a telephone line between us. I don't know if I could have spoken to him like that face-to-face."

Tony showed him around the labs. Since the Chitauri attack had postponed Tony transferring and hiring employees in R&D, the labs were empty of workers. All that state-of-the-art shining new equipment just waiting to be used. In a few hours, Bruce's team would be getting alien guts all over those sterile surfaces.

After eating lunch with Tony, Bruce took a taxi to the port where the helicarrier was docked. Agent Hill met him outside.

"I'm to oversee transfer the Chitauri's corpses," she explained. "Follow me. I'll take you to see your team."

Bruce followed her aboard the helicarrier and back to the lab that he had spend so many hours with Tony - the lab where Loki's spear caused his body to metamorphose. When Bruce entered with Agent Hill, Betty and three strangers were standing inside the room.

Betty said, "If I knew I would be working under you, I wouldn't have agreed."

"Betty, you always like being under me," said Bruce.

Agent Hill and the other woman in the room giggled.

"Sorry," said Bruce. "That was inappropriate. I want you here as a scientist. The fate of the planet rests in our hands."

"Bruce, don't be melodramatic," said Betty.

"For those who don't know me, I'm Dr. Bruce Banner," Bruce said. "I have a degree in medicine and PhD in physics. Like everyone in this room, my knowledge is limited to humans and other Earth-based life forms. This is the first time I shall be dissecting an alien."

A tall black woman smirked.

"And you have done alien autopsies?" asked Bruce. "So Fury found me an expert in xeno anatomy and physiology."

The black women spoke with a British accent. "I have a fair amount of knowledge in the area."

"I don't have my Cliff notes with me," said Bruce, "since this was done on relatively short notice. And your name is?"

"I'm Dr. Martha Jones."

Bruce shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Dr. Jones. Mr. Stark has a brand new laboratory just waiting to be covered in Chitauri bodily fluids."

"Lead on." Martha had an engagement ring on her finger.

"Ladies, we have bodies to move into an unmarked refrigerator truck that SHIELD was so kind to provide." Bruce then said, "Agent Hill show the two gentleman out. I have my team."

"Dr. Banner, I'll be back to show you to the freezer," said Hill. "Gentleman, follow me. I'm sorry you weren't selected."

After the gentlemen were gone, Bruce said, "Dr. Jones, do you know who I am?"

"Dr. Bruce Banner," she said. "You just told me your name and call me Martha."

"Only if you call me Bruce. I can ask Agent Hill or Mr. Stark for your file, but I think someone with the experience you claim to have knows I'm not your average scientist," Bruce said. "But you can play naive."

Betty giggled.

"You and Betty once had a relationship. If I'm reading Betty right, you dumped her." Martha looked Bruce over from head to toe. "Bruce Banner." She squinted at his face. "Jack might have mentioned your name once or twice. You're the Hulk."

"Do you still want to work with me?" asked Bruce.

"Why not? No Hulk sightings in England."

"The last time I was in England was before my accident," said Bruce. "I went there for a conference. I gave a lecture on the medical uses of high energy radiation. Didn't spend enough time out of the hotel. I should have done more touristy things."

"Betty, did you go?" asked Martha.

"No, I couldn't get the time off," said Betty. "I had experiments that needed monitoring. How do you like America so far?"

"I've been rushed off my plane onto a flying battleship," said Martha, "to be asked to help dissect aliens by the Hulk and his former girlfriend. It's been interesting to say the least."

Betty smiled.

"Doctor Banner, sorry, Bruce," Martha started. "Why did you dismiss the others?"

"When you have the best, why settle for less?" Bruce gave her his lopsided smile. "It took me only a few seconds to discern that you are the best. I do warn you, due to security reasons, we won't have a cleaning staff other than any robots Mr. Stark lets us borrow. I'm used to doing my own cleaning. However, your mother won't be living with us."

"Living?" asked Martha.

"Mr. Stark has plenty of rooms available and rent is insane in New York," Bruce said. "You're free to find a flat elsewhere, but we'll be pulling crazy hours and if you're living in the building you don't have to find a cab. You'll just need to throw on a clean shirt and join us."

"And jeans," said Martha. "I'm not your former girlfriend."

"I'm totally safe," said Bruce. "I can't because of the other guy. That was why I left Betty the second time. OK, I'm not all that safe to be around, but how many crazy aliens are going to set off their magic glowing sticks around me?"

"Magic glowing stick?" asked Martha. "Is that technical jargon?"

"It's as much technical jargon as flying monkeys," said Bruce. "You had to be there. I'm minding my own business and Loki's spear is in my hand then I feel all antsy and I don't know why,"

"Antsy?" asked Martha.

"I was shaking all over." Bruce looked at the back of the room where the spear was displayed. The spear and the display were gone. "It wasn't me - it was coming from outside me. I worked so hard on learning control to have someone else steal it in a split-second."

"Control is an illusion," said Martha.

"Nick Fury, our boss, built this cage. So I tease him about putting me in a cage because no cage can hold the other guy. Betty's father put me in a cage a number of times. It didn't work out so well." Bruce gave Martha something that looked like an Epi-pen. "It's a beta-blocker I cooked up this morning. You see my eyes turn green; you inject me. I would give it to Betty, but she may stab me for her amusement."

"I so would not," said Betty.

Martha pocketed the syringe. "Thank you."

"Now you have some control," said Bruce. "Use it only in an emergency."

Finally, Agent Hill returned. While they were following Agent Hill down the hall, Bruce overheard Martha say to Betty, "Bruce isn't being melodramatic. Know thy enemy. It was creepy when they all died when the mothership was destroyed. If we can simulate that code, they'll learn never to set foot on our planet or else."

"What if they are just puppets?" said Betty. "Then we're taking innocent lives."

"They came here to kill us. We need to protect ourselves and everyone else on Earth. One thing I learned in this business is Earthlings come first." Martha asked, "What's the story between you and Bruce?"

"He dumped me for a man he just met," said Betty.

"Then you're better off without him," said Martha. "Don't let your past interfere with our work."

"Oh, I'm much too professional for that."

Martha said, "There was this gentleman that I wanted in my life and he just wanted a companion. You need to say to hell with him and move on. If that doesn't work, imagine the Chitauri's heart is his heart when you're dissecting it."

xxxx

Author's Note: I didn't mark this as a crossover because, if you don't watch Dr. Who, you can see Dr. Jones as a OC and it wouldn't hurt the story.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: The Avengers belong to Marvel. Dr. Martha Jones belongs to BCC.

xxxx

After the dead bodies were safe inside a large pathology freezer in Stark towers, Bruce said, "Martha, you're the one with the jet lag. Do you want to eat or sleep?"

"Eat," said Martha. "If I sleep, I'll never get on New York time."

"Let's do traditional New York fare," said Betty. "Pizza or deli?"

"You forgot Chinese Take-Out," added Bruce.

"Plenty of time for take-out later when we're up to our elbows in Chitauri guts," said Betty.

"Takeaway," said Martha. "Then we can sit in a lounge and get to know each other a bit more."

"Martha, since you're the only one that has done an alien autopsy, I'll call Fury and tell him it's your project," Bruce said.

"If it wasn't for you, Fury would have destroyed the bodies," said Martha. "I know his type. I realize you have been out of the field for years, but you're a quick study and you aren't one of those shot first ask questions later twits that UNIT is full of. If all you can do at first is hold my test tubes like Jo used to do for the Doctor, it's still a big help."

"Doctor who?" asked Bruce.

"He called himself John Smith when I met him, but it's just the Doctor," said Martha. "Don't ask and I won't have to lie."

"Sending out a signal that kills the puppets won't stop the puppet-masters," said Bruce. "We need to send them the message that Earth isn't worth their trouble."

"Betty's theory is just a theory at this point," said Martha.

"Tony theorized that their brains could have been on that ship and what we fought on Earth were remote bodies," Bruce explained. "Or, simply, that the Chitauri military rather kill their own people than risk them talking."

Martha sat down on the leather couch. "Dead bodies talk if you ask the right questions."

Betty said, "I need some fresh air. Chinese, Thai or Indian?"

"Indian takeaway is omnipresence in London," said Martha. "Chinese or Thai."

"The only type of takeaway available near Culver University is Chinese," said Betty.

Bruce said, "That is so not true. You just have to be willing to drive around a bit. We did OK on _Subways_ and pizza. And there was always the Student Union."

"Bruce has a lead-lined stomach," said Betty, "and that was before the not so Jolly Green Giant destroyed his metabolism, so never listen to his opinion regarding food. And he loves spicy food - the hotter the better."

Martha winked at Betty. "I'll remember that."

"Good-bye for now." Betty waved. "I'll return with something edible."

xxxx

As office lounges went it was nice with black leather couches and a state-of-the-art entertainment center that no one had turned on, yet. The glass office tables would soon be covered by oyster boxes from whatever take-out Betty bought back. Bruce walked over to the cabinets and counter built into the walls. A single-serving coffee maker stood beside a rack of cups filled with an assortment of coffee, tea and hot cocoa selections. There was also a refrigerator, microwave and a stove-top for cooking.

Bruce said, "Would you like some tea or coffee while we wait? We have Earl Grey, Breakfast Tea, Green Tea, Dark Roast Coffee, Fair Trade Coffee, and Hazelnut Coffee. Then there is Hot Cocoa."

"Do you really eat anything?" asked Martha.

"I'm not all that fussy when pulling an all-nighter," said Bruce. "But who is? I'm making Breakfast Tea for myself."

"We should throw the Earl Grey out," said Martha. "Who drinks that retched stuff?"

"Do you like Jasmine and Oolong?" asked Bruce.

"Now you're talking," said Martha. "So you do have taste buds?"

""I don't need the caffeine, so I've been drinking a lot of Rooibos lately," Bruce admitted.

"What brings out the other guy when you aren't near magic glowing sticks?" asked Martha.

Bruce gave her an evil eye then returned to making his tea. "I'd gone over a year without an incident before Loki made me his puppet. So not much. Betty's Daddy pushed me out of a plane without a parachute and free-falling is an adrenaline rush. Bullets are bad. I can deep-breath or meditate myself down from most stress-filled situations." Bruce took his filled paper cup out from under the Keurig machine. "If I get too sexually aroused, I need to talk myself down or take a cold shower."

"I can see how that can put a cramp in your sex life."

Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "We'll need to go shopping for personalized coffee mugs, so we don't waste paper."

"After Betty and I assess the conditions of the Chitauri bodies, I'll send you out with a shopping list."

"What are you having?" asked Bruce.

"Dark Roast," said Martha. "Sugar. None of the ersatz sweetener."

Bruce made Martha's coffee. He didn't know who Jo was or who this doctor was who wasn't really John Smith, but he did understand that Betty and Martha were the doctors in charge and he was to make coffee and do other errands. Less than a week ago, he would have been jumping for joy to be sweeping up in a laboratory like this one, so he wasn't really upset. His male ego was only slightly bruised.

After Bruce placed Martha's coffee on the table in front of her, Martha said, "Thank you."

"At your service." Bruce got his own tea and sat across from her.

Martha put a hand over Bruce's hand. "Bruce, are you sad?"

"No, a week ago, I was minding my own business in India doing the best I could to help during a flu epidemic. People were dying and I couldn't do much more than cool their fevers, but I was needed there. When I pruned rose bushes, I felt needed. I had the joy of a job well done."

"Love, you're needed here, too. Don't let Betty make you feel unloved. No one can make you angry, but you."

"Loki did a pretty good job of it."

"Loki is on Asgard," said Martha. "You're safe now."

After letting go of Martha's hand, Bruce lifted the paper cup to his lips and took a sip of his tea.

xxxx

Martha's hand reached inside her jacket pocket for an instant before she started drinking her coffee. She had dealt with monsters in the shape of men. But Bruce was a man that could become a monster. Since Bruce related the tale of Loki's spear causing him to change, that meant it wasn't always something Bruce could prevent or control. She wondered if Bruce noticed that she had felt for the syringe.

Fury hired her to learn all the secrets she could from the Chitauri corpses. UNIT knew of the Hulk since the incident in Harlem. When she got a free moment, she would need to report back that she got a situation working for the Hulk. She would have to explain to the Brigadier-General that the Hulk was usually a man and a nice man at that.

So much for his theory that it was a monster kept in a cage until the US government needed him. She looked at the man drinking his tea, changed her mind and decided to say nothing. Let the Brigadier-General continue to believe it was kept in a cage somewhere.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers. They are owned by Marvel. Dr. Martha Jones and Captain Jack Harkness are owned by BBC.

xxxx

Finally, Betty arrived with the food. Red Curry with Chicken and Vegetables for Bruce, Pan Thai for Martha since she didn't ask Martha if she ate meat and if so what type, and Green Curry with Pork for herself. She also got a couple orders of Spring Rolls for everyone to share and plenty of fried rice.

She, finally, passed out forks. "I've seen Bruce digging into oyster cartons with his fingers when he can't find the plastic forks or the chopsticks"

"India food is eaten by scooping it onto bread." Bruce took the fork. "Thanks. Thor says using a fork is unmanly. Then you never seen a god eat."

Martha took her fork and placed her takeaway carton in front of her seat. "Betty, I realize he's your ex-boyfriend, but we need to work together, so try to insult him a bit less."

"She's cleaned up the mess I've made after working in the lab all night - more than once I might add," said Bruce. "Take-out boxes everywhere. When it's two or three in the morning and I'm crazy hungry, I don't bother with manners. I deserve everything she says about me."

"This was before the Hulk?" asked Martha.

"My cram sessions and Betty cleaning up after me started when we were still undergraduates'," Bruce said. "I don't think I was being a bad boyfriend. I thought she was the crazy compulsive one who wouldn't leave my mess alone for me to clean up when I got around to it."

Tony Stark entered the room without knocking, walked over to Bruce, took the plastic fork out of Bruce's hand and kissed him. "You don't taste like lemongrass."

"I haven't bitten into my food, yet," said Bruce.

Tony sat down. "Please, don't let me interrupt. By the way, I'm Tony Stark. This is my building. Dr. Ross, it's nice seeing you, again. And you are?"

"Dr. Martha Jones." Martha didn't offer him her hand to shake.

Betty looked at Tony then the food on the table. "You're welcome to share with Bruce."

"I ate, but thanks," said Tony.

xxxx

"After we eat, the ladies are going to assess the bodies to find, at least one, that died from the mothership's signal," Bruce explained. Thor and the other guy killed a lot of Chitauri, but they needed ones that died when the mothership died, so they could find the physical cause of death.

Tony put an arm around Bruce. "The ladies?"

"If I'm lucky, I'll get to take notes." Bruce started eating his curry. "Dr. Jones may give me a shopping list to fill."

"Bruce, I want you to watch and learn," said Martha. "I won't know what I'll need on that shopping list until I'm done the assessment."

Tony took a spring roll and ate it.

"I thought you ate already," said Betty.

"And I thought Bruce was heading the project," said Tony.

Bruce ate a spring roll then returned to his rice and curry. He sipped some tea.

Betty pushed her food around her carton a bit. "Bruce has put Dr. Jones in charge of the project. He was top of his field ten years ago, but while Daddy was chasing him around the planet, time has moved on. I'm sure Bruce has done his best to keep up with the latest advances, but there is only so much he can do in a hut in India."

Bruce got up to get more tea. "Anyone else?"

"I'd like some of that fair trade shit," said Tony. "Black."

After Bruce made Tony's coffee and placed it on the table since Tony didn't like to be handed stuff, Bruce made his tea, reusing his cup. "Dr. Jones is the best when it comes to xenobiology. I asked Fury for the best and he gave me two people that acted deaf and blind when I spouted absurdities and Dr. Jones who was alive enough to smirk. The Chitauri are dead. We didn't need any other dead bodies in the room, so I let the others go."

Martha smiled nearly choking on her food. "So that's what happened."

"I'm very good at judging people. At least, face-to-face. I would never had been found if my blood didn't drip into a bottle. My experience with Mr. Blue says I'm not so good judging people over the Internet. No eye contact over the Internet." Bruce returned to his seat and his food. "Since Dr. Jones is the best, it's my job to let her be the best."

"Love, very nicely said," said Martha. "Thank you."

Bruce ate a bit more. "Did Fury put you to work, yet?"

"We talked. He doesn't like me and I don't trust him, but he agreed to let me consult on the Chitauri technology. I also have the repairs to make to the building." Tony stared at Martha for a second. "So are you going to tell your superiors across the Pond that you're working with the big guy?"

"I was going to," said Martha. "But Bruce told me he doesn't do well in cages. I'm a practical woman. He's more use to me handing me my tools than running amok somewhere. I don't know what it is like over here, but on the other side of the Pond, military intelligence is an oxymoron. I don't want my so-called superiors anywhere near Bruce."

"It's an oxymoron here, too," said Tony.

Martha smiled. "Then we see eye-to-eye."

Bruce swallowed the food in his mouth. "You were going to turn me over to the British authorities?"

"I thought about it, but if the US government can't handle you then the British government is seriously out-gunned," said Martha. "Love, I won't let anyone put you back in a cage."

"Since we're clearing the air, who is this Jack guy?" asked Bruce.

"No one," said Martha. "We just fancied the same bloke, but it was OK because he didn't know we were there."

Betty turned her eyes away from Bruce.

"I thought you were with your psychiatrist." Bruce looked at his empty food carton. "You left the mental case for a headshrinker. After 5 years it was nice to hold you, again, but my heart didn't race. I didn't look at you with longing. Betty, you can't make me feel something I no longer feel."

Tony said, "Is Jack cute?"

Bruce gave Tony a hard stare.

Tony put his hands up in surrender. "Joking. Big guy, I only have eyes for you."

"And Pepper?"

"She needs some time alone to think," said Tony.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay. Real life has been a bit crazy. The Avengers are owned by Marvel, and Dr. Martha Jones, Mickey Smith and UNIT are owned by BBC.

xxxx

While the women were doing their initial assessments of the bodies, Betty didn't make one stupid remark to Bruce. Afterward, Martha walked to her apartment inside Stark Tower to finally get some much needed rest. Betty nodded to Bruce then walked away.

Bruce started to walk to his own room then changed his mind. "Jarvis, where is Tony?"

"Sitting by the bar at the penthouse," said Jarvis.

"Drinking?" asked Bruce.

"He has a drink in his hand, Sir," said Jarvis.

Bruce walked over to the elevator and pushed the button for the penthouse. Then he walked over to where Tony was standing with drink in hand. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"She left," said Tony.

"You told her to mind the store while you were pining over me," said Bruce. "I'm not surprised."

After taking another sip, Tony put his glass on the counter. "I think she's scared of you."

"Of me?" said Bruce. "I wouldn't hurt a fly. There were times that I started craving hamburger when a cow was standing in the middle of the road, but I didn't do anything about it. I would just wait or tap its rump if the waiting got too long."

Tony just looked at him.

"I'm the one who has the guilt if the other guy makes a mess," said Bruce. "I try to keep that to a minimum."

"When people know about the big guy, they don't see it that way." Tony put an arm around Bruce. "Still you must have let him out under your own control to change that close to the Leviathan."

"Out in the Canadian Wilderness," said Bruce. "Away from people. Well, normal people. One time I woke, someone was there with a blanket. A grumpy hermit."

After making a monitor appear in a table top, Tony returned to putting an arm around Bruce. "Dr. Jones's file. Read it."

"She worked with UNIT," said Bruce. "They're interested in space monsters. I'm a terrain monster. No, conflict of interest here. She quit but UNIT bought her back because of the Chitauri." She was engaged to Mickey Smith. A man, probably, with his own file. Hence, the engagement ring. Bruce knew she was young, but her eyes told him she had seen too much death for a person so young. Bruce shut the window and the table top went dark. "I want to talk about you."

Tony didn't refill his empty glass. "She isn't leaving the company. Just me." She was Pepper.

Bruce put an arm around him. "It isn't unmanly to cry."

"I don't have any tears in me," said Tony. "I'm more in shock than anything else. Can you hold me?"

Bruce put both his arms around him. "Hugs are free."

"Blow jobs are 50 bucks," teased Tony.

"A erotic massage in a hotel room 140 bucks and you pay for the hotel room."

Tony hugged Bruce back and looked into his eyes. "You don't expect me to pay."

"Everyone pays for sex," said Bruce. "It isn't always in money. A dinner, movie, time spent. Doing someone in an alley was the easiest money I ever made."

"You don't need mellow jazz or a big bag of pot because you hid in your head with that anger you always carry around." Tony touched Bruce's cheek. "I want to break past those walls and see under that nervous smile and your fidgety hands that are always touching your nose and your glasses."

"The other guy is under my walls," said Bruce.

With his arms embracing Bruce, Tony said, "Big guy, you're more than the Hulk."

"You are seeing all I am now. Enough anger and rage to destroy a city hides under this surface. I'm aware of how thin a veneer I exist on every second of the day."

"And you tell me Pepper has nothing to be scared of," said Tony.

"She has no more reason to be scared of me then anyone else that knows about the other guy. I'm not going to attack her in a fit of jealousy. After nearly a decade, I'm comfortable with my limited existence. You're the one who wants to change me."

"You agreed to let me love you," said Tony.

"You will love me whether I let you or not. I can't give you what I don't have."

Tony took Bruce's hand in his. "You hungry after helping Jarvis label Chitauri body parts?"

"Betty will tell you I'm always hungry." Bruce looked at his hand in Tony's. "Pasta is good."

"You aren't comfortable or you wouldn't have tried to kill yourself," said Tony. "You want to be more than who you allow yourself to be."

"I moved on and decided to help people. I'm helping people now by learning what we can from the Chitauri corpses to stop the next invasion."

Tony kissed Bruce's cheek. "I plan to steal more kisses tonight."

"Can we go by taxi?" asked Bruce. "I need to run errands tomorrow and being in a underground train doesn't seem like a good idea. Then it could be better than being with a cabbie yelling at the traffic."

"When was the last time you were in a subway?" asked Tony.

"New York," said Bruce. "We were going to see Dr. Stern. I was with Betty. She held my hand the whole time."

"Tell Martha you can't do the shopping," said Tony.

"You told me I need to strut. I'll never strut if I can't handle a simple shopping trip."

"We'll slum it tonight and go by taxi."

Throwing his arms around Tony, Bruce kissed him. "Thanks."

Tony returned the embrace. "You're excited and no big guy."

xxxx

In one of the fanciest Italian restaurants in New York, Bruce ordered spaghetti and meatballs. After he asked if they had a bar, he ordered ginger ale. Tony ordered a bottle of red wine.

Bruce said, "None for me," when the waiter put out two glasses.

Tony said, "Pour him some." Tony sampled the wine then had the waiter refill his glass then fill Bruce's glass. "One glass of wine won't affect you. Think elephant tranquilizer."

"One glass," repeated Bruce.

"Then you can have your ginger ale with the rest of the meal," said Tony. "How was the cab ride?"

"Good." Bruce took a sip of wine. "If the cabbie starts yelling at traffic, I'll go to my happy place. Easier to go to my happy place in a cab then a crowded subway."

"You traveled from New Mexico to Brazil by foot," said Tony. "You can handle a New York cabbie."

"Later I walked from New York State to Canada," said Bruce. "I just walked across. No fake ID needed."

"You didn't walk to India," Tony teased.

"A gentleman with a private plane asked me to go Dharamsala to with him," Bruce explained.

"You must have gave him some blowjob."

"We went to see the Dalia Lama. Get your mind out of the gutter."

"You're a hustler and you tell me to get my mind out of the gutter." Tony took a sip of wine. "You did it in alleys and in stranger's cars."

"Only for a little over a week," said Bruce. "It was too dangerous. I got a job landscaping. Much safer."

"So did the Hulk get to see the Dalia Lama?" Was everything a joke to Tony?

"For a second," said Bruce. "He blessed me. That little man gave me a prayer book. Well, one of his assistants gave me the prayer book, but his hand touched mine. I was too shy to make eye contact."

"The Dalia Lama got under your walls," said Tony.

Bruce smiled. "You aren't the Dalia Lama."

"I'm not an old man that, probably, blessed over a thousand people that morning." Tony clasped Bruce's hand. "I'm only interested in you."

Bruce put his free hand on his wine glass to keep it from going to his face, again. "Do you want me to cry or scream?"

"You can't scream," said Tony. "Not a real scream. The Hulk does that for you. No, I want you to see me."

Bruce put both his hands on Tony's hand. "I'm looking right at you."

Tony just looked at Bruce. The only movement was his breathing. Bruce had never seen Tony so still. Staring into his dark brown eyes, Bruce saw Tony as just a man looking at another man across a table, his money, his position didn't matter. Bruce wanted to turn away, but he kept looking.

The waiter broke the moment by putting their salads on the table. "Would you like cheese?"

With the silence shattered, Bruce let go on Tony's hand. "Yes, please."

Bruce enjoyed watching the man grate cheese over his salad. He couldn't remember the last time he went to a nice restaurant. His resume had diners and greasy spoons that had owners happy to pay him in cash because it saved them money and paperwork. He had washed dishes in the back and, sometimes, bussed tables.

Tony put a hand over his plate. "No thank you."

"Pepper?"

"Sure." Bruce watched the man grind pepper over his salad. "Thank you."

The waiter looked at Tony then said, "Sir."

"No thank you," said Tony.

When the waiter went to refill Bruce's wine, Bruce put a hand over his glass.

"Will you be needing anything else?" asked the waiter.

Bruce looked at his lap.

While Bruce was enjoyed his salad, Tony asked, "When was the last time you went to a nice restaurant?"

Bruce finished chewing the food in his mouth then took a sip of ginger ale to wash anything remaining in his mouth down. "Is Denny's a nice restaurant?"

"No," said Tony.

"Then, if you don't count restaurants connected to a hotel I was staying in due to a conference, this is my first time."

"That is sad," said Tony.

"No, what is sad is you think you have seen the world when all you see are hotels and tourist sights."

"I saw the world in Afghanistan." Tony took a sip of his wine.

"If you trully felt that way, you wouldn't have built your suit."

Tony refilled his wine glass. "You don't know how I feel."

"You're upset because Pepper left."

"You're going to leave me, too."

"Fury has a tight leash on me. I'm not going anywhere. If the other guy was gone tomorrow, I would finish examining the Chitauri then take the next plane to wherever in the world I was needed."

"What about me?"

"You can visit me and I can visit you," said Bruce. "Let's face it - the other guy isn't going to be gone tomorrow. Fury said I could leave anytime, but he isn't going to give me a one way ticket back to India."

"He might."


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: The Avengers belong to Marvel and Dr. Martha Jones belongs to BBC.

xxxx

Tony shouldn't have told Bruce that he had saw enough of the world when he was held prisoner in Afghanistan. He really wasn't that much of a cynic. Bruce wasn't in a good place when he tried to kill himself that much was a given, but Bruce was in a good place now. He wanted to be able to help other people. Also he appeared to like traveling to different villages.

Pepper left him for a man who wasn't going to be tied down to anyone or anything. Fury threatened to put Bruce in a cage. Tony had to let Bruce go as much as it was going to hurt or he would just be putting Bruce in a prettier cage.

Watching Bruce taste and enjoy every bite of food kept Tony from taking more than a few sips of his wine. Tony started laughing when Bruce used his knife and fork to cut his spaghetti into manageable pieces.

"What is so funny?" asked Bruce.

"Didn't your mother teach you how to eat spaghetti?" asked Tony.

"I don't remember," said Bruce.

"How can you not remember?"

"My mother died when I was a small child," explained Bruce. "My aunt taught me to whirl it around my fork, but cutting it up is more practical."

"That isn't how you eat spaghetti."

"And you're the expert on spaghetti," said Bruce. "Betty insulted my table manners during lunch. No spaghetti sauce on my shirt this way."

"You chew your food; you don't talk with your mouth full," said Tony. "I see nothing wrong with your table manners."

"I must have been a pretty good boyfriend if she can only complain about me not cleaning up after myself after cramming all night," Bruce said. "When I'm not running on too much coffee and pure adrenaline, I'm very neat and organized. That's probably why it upset Betty so much."

Tony had an ah-hah moment. "You were a different person when overdosed on adrenaline before the Hulk."

"Without the physical changes, but yes," said Bruce. "I growled at everyone and ate with my fingers. It's kinda embarrassing looking back at it."

"I've done some embarrassing things while drunk," Tony reached across the table to touch Bruce's shoulder. "Honey, don't ever be ashamed by who you are."

Bruce smiled, placed a hand on Tony's arm. "You called me Honey."

"You're sweet like Honey," said Tony.

"Is Pepper spicy?" Bruce smiled a bit more.

"She can be." After letting go of Bruce's shoulder, Tony took a sip of his wine then a bit more than a sip. She had left him. After everything they had been through, she left because she needed time to think. Was this time away thing due to Bruce or was she uncertain about their relationship before?

"I won't talk about Pepper," said Bruce. "Sorry. Unless you want to."

"You don't need to apologize."

"I'm the reason she left."

"You aren't." Tony drank some more wine then refilled his glass, again. "She was upset about the whole guiding a missile into outer space thing. She never fully forgave me for not telling her when I was dying. I'm going to keep on stepping on wires to paraphrase Steve. Pepper can't sit by the phone, waiting to hear that I had died. Her heart would break."

"I'm still sorry."

"She dies a little each time I don my Ironman suit. For the past few years, she has been Stark Industries and I've been treating her like shit."

"Eat your salad and pasta," said Bruce. "And the garlic rolls are real good."

"Thanks for leaving two for me," said Tony.

"All that wine on the empty stomach can't be good for you," said Bruce.

"Note to self," teased Tony. "Never date a doctor."

"In India, a lot of patients paid me in food," said Bruce. "People that don't have a lot are always willing to share what little they do have. By the way, nutrition is barely covered in medical school. I know what vitamins and minerals you need and the basic food groups, but you need a nutritionist if you want to learn more."

Tony smiled at him. "I'll keep that in mind."

Bruce didn't have room for dessert, but Tony ordered him New York Cheesecake with strawberries for him to take home for later. On the way back to Stark Tower, Bruce slept in the cab. While getting up to pay the cabbie, Tony said, "We're here."

Bruce rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Sorry."

"I'll walk you up to your room," Tony helped him out of the cab then handed him the doggie bag. "Don't forget your cheesecake." After Tony paid the cabbie, Tony took the hand not holding the doggie bag. "You had a long day."

"Yes, I did." Bruce kissed Tony's cheek. "Thank you."

After they took the elevator to Bruce's floor then walked to his apartment, they kissed, again, this time, wrapped in each other's arms. Tony let Bruce go. "Sleep well. Pleasant dreams."

"You too. Sleep well." Bruce opened his door and left Tony standing in the hallway.

Thinking about Bruce sleeping in his arms on the cab ride home, Tony went back to the penthouse. Bruce would invite him in on a day he was less tired or Tony would need to invite Bruce to his bedroom. Bruce had let him take him to an Italian restaurant that didn't have pizza in the title. That was a start. This taking things slow was new to Tony.

Unlike Bruce, Tony hadn't woken up at the crack of dawn. His suit needed upgrades and he had Chitauri technology to look at. He worked better alone. Who was he fooling? He wanted Bruce at his side. He would treat Bruce like an equal. That wet behind the ears Martha Jones should have considered herself lucky to run Dr. Banner's errands and she was having Dr. Banner fetch and roll over for her.

Bruce had been a fugitive for ten years - a man without a name - someone who took any menial job he could get to have food and a place to live. Adding insult to injury was the fact he couldn't get angry. He needed to calmly accept every degradation handed his way. It was no wonder that Bruce didn't have very high self-esteem. Tony would have to show Bruce that he was worthy of love.

xxxx

When Bruce got up, Tony wasn't awake, but that didn't surprise him. After eating a good breakfast, he went to the lab to find Martha and Betty already dissecting a body. Martha said, "I was going to have Jarvis wake you, but I'm still on Greenwich Mean Time."

Bruce rubbed his eyes. "You woke Betty."

"I couldn't sleep," said Betty. "Jarvis said you and Tony went out last night. How was your date?"

"I fell asleep on the ride home," said Bruce. "Other than that, I think it went well. I got a good-bye kiss."

"Betty, I need to talk to Bruce alone," said Martha. "Give Jarvis the play-by-play. We don't know what is significant and what isn't at this point."

"Will do," said Betty.

Martha took Bruce's hand and lead him to the lounge. "Love, I know this isn't my business, but have you been with a man before Tony?"

After sitting on the leather sofa, Bruce nodded.

"How many?" asked Martha.

"I didn't count," said Bruce.

"Can you handle it? You were the one who said sexual excitement can make your change."

"The date was a dud." Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "I could barely keep my eyes open during our good night kiss. If I start to change, I'll point myself away from the lab."

"This isn't a joke."

"If I don't laugh, I'll cry." Looking at Tony made him feel warm all over. Bruce didn't have to look at Tony, just thinking about him made him smile.

Martha put an arm around Bruce. "Let's get to work then."


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: The Avengers belong to Marvel and Dr. Martha Jones still belongs to BBC.

xxxx

When they got back, Betty said, "All the Chitauri had brain surgery. It looks like they had wires inserted in their brains. No trace of the wires now. The wires were either removed or it is also possible that the wires dissolved when they died."

"Tony's theory that they're connected to a brain on the mothership isn't blown out of the water, yet," said Martha. "The Ood have 3 brains: a brain in their heads, a brain they hold in their hands, and a community brain they share."

"Did you meet these Ood?" asked Betty.

"No, I heard about them through a friend," said Martha. "But the theory that the Chitauri were puppets to whoever was on that mothership seems to make the most sense since Clint Barton and Erik Selvig were made into puppets by Loki."

"I don't like the idea of killing people under mind-control," said Betty. "They're helpless pawns."

Martha said, "You're free to go. Bruce and I can manage without you, but I would have liked your input."

"I'll stay for now," said Betty.

"We may have to reanimate one to find out what frequencies it responses to if we decide they were killed by a signal, not lack of signal," said Martha. "If they were puppets, it is very likely they were programmed to die if the signal stopped. If that is the case, then all we need to do is block the signal."

"When I got antsy on Helicarrier, it didn't only affect me," said Bruce, "although Natasha said Loki wanted to use me. Everyone in the room was yelling at each other. The Avengers aren't the calmest people on the planet, but for everyone to be biting each other's heads off seemed a bit odd. That wire or lack of wire may limit the mothership to controlling only the people previously marked. Otherwise you control everyone in the immediate area and all Hell breaks loose."

Martha said, "It's all wild theories at the moment, but Betty gave us a starting place to find more clues."

After they spent all morning examining the brain of the Chitauri, Martha sent Bruce out of get coffee mugs, lunch and good tea. Before leaving the building, Bruce got directions for a tea shop. The taxi ride was uneventful. He bought a teapot with strainer, a tea kettle and some loose tea, including red tea which is naturally caffeine-free for himself. He got an "I heart NY" mug for Martha thinking she would like a tacky souvenir. He got a mug with a cute saying for Betty.

And he got a mug for himself that read, "This is the first page of the rest of my life." It was a nice thought that he wasn't trapped by his past and he could start over with today. Tonight he wasn't going to fall asleep on Tony or, if fatigue won out, he would invite Tony into his room to cuddle. Hopefully, he would be more awake tonight and they could do more than cuddle until he fell asleep.

Finally, he left the tea shop with his purchases. Martha didn't have a list of foods she wouldn't eat. And he knew Betty's list from all their years together. He had cooked for himself most of his years on the run because he tended to go places without a nearby fast food joint. His best choices had always been what looked good at the local farmer's market that morning. Betty would wait for him to cook something, but he wasn't sure about Martha.

Bruce ended up buying Chinese take out, enough for Tony to share. After putting down his bags, he washed out the new tea kettle, filled it with water then put it on the stove. "Jarvis, tell Tony to join us for lunch."

"Yes, Dr. Banner," said the computer.

Bruce then said, "Tell Dr. Jones and Dr. Ross that lunch is served."

The AI acknowledged him.

The ladies arrived before the tea was made. Bruce asked, "Anyone for Jasmine tea?"

Martha said, "Real tea. No K-cup?"

"Loose leaf with real flowers," said Bruce.

"Now you're talking," said Martha.

After pouring the hot water over the loose tea, Bruce set the teapot aside to let it steep. "Betty, we have to talk."

"Talk," said Betty.

"Without Martha," said Bruce.

"I'll go," said Martha. "Can I take any oyster carton or is something labeled for me?"

"Any entree and a rice," said Bruce.

Martha took two oyster cartons and a set of chopsticks from the take-out bag. "I'll be back for my tea."

"Give us five minutes," said Bruce.

"Five minutes then real tea." Martha winked at Bruce before leaving the room.

Bruce sat beside Betty. "I'm sorry about leaving the second time. The other guy listened to you and didn't kill the Abomination, so I should have felt that we could handle things together, but I wanted to go it alone. I didn't give you to chance to ask you what you wanted. I was wrong to make the decision to leave without asking you."

"Yes, you were," said Betty.

"I don't know what else to say," said Bruce.

"You apologized." Betty put her hand in his hand. "We can't turn back time. We need to move forward. Can we do that?"

Bruce nodded.

Betty squeezed his hand. "We're friends then?"

Bruce said, "Lunch is getting cold. Next time, I'm going to buy fresh fish, herbs and produce and we can have some home cooked food."

Betty got up and started placing the oyster carts on the table. "I look forward to it."

Bruce got up to wash his mug. "I've heard that the New York fish market is amazing."

Betty saw the saying. "Think about each day, each moment as a new beginning."

"I'm trying. That's why I bought the mug." After drying his mug, Bruce said. "Real tea. Do you want a mug?"

While Bruce was pouring the tea, Martha re-entered the room. "Did you have a good talk?"

"Yes, we did," said Betty.

The three of them were eating when Tony entered the room. After lunch, Tony said, "Martha, can I borrow Bruce?"

"Just give him back undamaged," teased Martha.

"I don't make any promises," Tony teased back.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: I still don't own any of the characters. Dead, thanks for finding the typo. I must have been having a 80's flashback. I hate those. I'm getting old.

xxxx

Bruce took Tony's hand and they walked to an unused lab. After shutting the door, Tony flung his arms around Bruce and kissed him.

"I'm sorry about last night," said Bruce. "I wanted to invite you in, but I had already fell asleep on you once."

"I'm sure, with you being the only guy, the two ladies had you doing all the heavy lifting," said Tony. "They yell about women's lib then they ask us men to carry all the equipment."

Bruce smiled.

"As long as I'm not boring," said Tony.

"You aren't," said Bruce. "Don't you ever think you're boring."

"Jarvis monitor Dr. Banner's heartrate," said Tony. "Tell me when it gets to 170."

Bruce blushed.

"I also have the syringe," said Tony. "Only for emergencies. Let's see what we can do without needing to drug you. You must promise to stay with me unless it gets to be too much."

Bruce touched Tony's face. "Stay with you. I can manage that."

Tony placed Bruce on a metal work table. Then Tony looked into Bruce's eyes, touching his shoulder with one hand while the other touched Bruce's curly hair. "You're so beautiful. As much as I would love to ravish you here, we should go to a bedroom."

"A bedroom would be good."

Tony kissed Bruce, again, then helped him down from the table.

"Can we talk a second?" asked Bruce, once his feet were back on the floor.

"You want to say some terribly unsexy things to get me out of the mood," said Tony.

"I need to tell you about what we discovered about the Chitauri and you will probably find talking about sectioning an alien brain unsexy to say the least unless you're very kinky."

Tony took Bruce's hand and lead him out of the lab. "After I ravish you, we can talk all you want about Chitauri brain structures."

"Fair enough." Bruce then kissed Tony on the lips. Holding onto Tony, Bruce pushed him against the wall and continued to kiss him. Needing to breath, Bruce let go.

"Wow!" said Tony.

Tony lead Bruce to the elevator to the penthouse.

xxxx

After locking the door, Tony said, "Jarvis, what is Dr. Banner's pulse?"

"74 beats a minute," said the AI.

"And his resting?" asked Tony.

"58 to 65," said the AI.

"So he's fairly relaxed right now?" said Tony, not expecting the AI to answer.

"The current data would support that hypothesis, Sir," said Jarvis.

Laying on the bed, Bruce looked at the ceiling. "Do I get to talk?"

"Only if talking doesn't raise your heartrate," said Tony. "I don't want the big guy interrupting our make-out session."

"You talking to your AI about me has totally ruined the mood," said Bruce.

"I think I can get you back in the mood." Tony climbed onto the bed and started undoing Bruce's pants. Tony unzipped Bruce's fly and pulled down his pants to expose his underwear.

"Warning," said the AI. Tony could see on Bruce's face that his pulse was rising due to panic, not sexual excitement. Bruce could out-Zen a Buddhist priest. This couldn't be happening. "Dr. Banner's pulse is 165 and rising. 172, 173."

Pushing Tony's hands off him, Bruce pulled up his pants. "Sorry."

"Below 165 now," said the AI.

Bruce took a few deep breaths. "We'll need to use the beta-blocker after all."

Listening to Bruce slowly exhaling, Tony straddled Bruce on his hands and knees, careful not to let any part of his body touch Bruce. When Bruce's breathing returned to normal, Tony kissed him on the cheek. "Nothing to be sorry about. That was some kiss back in the hallway."

"I didn't think I would react that way to your hands getting near my penis," said Bruce. "I'm so sorry."

"It shows you're alive and I affect you. That's a good thing." Tony rolled off of Bruce and rested beside him. "You can tell me what you learned about the Chitauri."

"Their brains are contented inside their bodies," explained Bruce. "There is no evidence to support them having a community brain inside the mothership. The 3 bodies we have all showed signs of brain surgery and the holes and scarring suggest wiring that had dissolved either over time or upon death. The wiring could have also been removed, but dissolving or being absorbed into the body makes more sense. Whoever was on the mothership used mind-control over the Chitauri on Earth. We can only hope that, when you destroyed the mothership, you killed whoever was the puppet-master."

Tony held Bruce's hand. "You had a busy morning."

"Betty did most of the work," said Bruce.

"You can rest here a bit longer." Tony let go of Bruce's hand and stared at the ceiling. "Or you can return to the lab."

"I should return to the lab," said Bruce.

Tony rolled out of the bed then reached out a hand to help Bruce up. "I'll walk you back."

"I'm a big boy," teased Bruce. "I can handle an elevator."

"I can steal a few more kisses in the elevator. In a month or two, this building will be packed with Stark Industries employees. We need to enjoy the quiet while it lasts."

"A month or two?" asked Bruce.

"The fire and safety inspectors need to approve of the repairs first," said Tony. "You used the side of the building to slow you descent. As much as I appreciate you saving my life, that's a lot of damage to repair."

"Oh," said Bruce.

"The Hulk used physics to save my life," said Tony. "He's far from mindless."

Bruce took the offered hand and stood. "I'm going back to the employee lounge to get more tea before I return to work."

While they were waiting for the elevator, Tony asked, "Did you have good time?"

"The best." Bruce smiled.

"That's all that matters." Since he wasn't a tea drinker, Tony made himself some coffee while Bruce drank his tea. He went to a computer and wrote to an interoffice memo to Martha's email. "Sorry. I broke him."

Martha wrote back. "I figured you would."


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: I still don't own Marvel or BBC. All I own is my toothbrush.

xxxx

Bruce spend the rest of the day sectioning the Chituari's brain to make slides to examine under a microscope. Then he cleaned the lab with the help of Tony's robots. Betty and Martha had already left. When he went to the lounge for a late dinner, Martha was sitting there drinking tea and reading news off the internet.

Martha asked, "Are you OK?"

"I'm doing research, again," said Bruce. "I never thought this day would come. I'm fucking amazing."

Martha took her eyes off her computer monitor. "You don't sound amazing."

"I had a panic attack," said Bruce. "I calmed myself down, but it should never had happened."

"You're human."

"I'm not human." Bruce sat across from Martha. "I'm a monster. Even if I can get it up with the beta-blocker, Tony is going to need protection to keep from getting infected like Blonsky. I'm contagious. You don't get that."

"Can your condition spread through semen?"

"Only blood to blood contact. My saliva and my semen are totally safe, so I can share food and jerk off without worry. However, with anal sex, even with lubrication, tearing is a possibility. Tony doesn't understand how dangerous I am." Bruce didn't jerk off because sexual excitement could make him change, but that was another issue. He meditated and did cold showers, but Martha didn't need to know that.

"I think he does," said Martha.

"I shouldn't have agreed to let us try," said Bruce. "I want him so bad, but I can't put him in danger."

"Did you panic because you were scared of hurting him?" asked Martha.

"He was about to touch me and it got a bit too real, I guess." Bruce started to make himself some red tea because it was too late at night for caffeine. Then he took his cheesecake from the fridge. "Do you want some real New York cheesecake?"

"You eat it," said Martha.

Bruce sat down with his tea and cheesecake. Finally, he put his hands on his mug, but he didn't drink any tea or even bring the mug to his lips. "Before Blonsky, I always knew the other guy was dangerous, but when Blonsky infected himself with my blood that meant I was dangerous when I'm me. Thanks to Blonsky, Dr. Stern is also infected with my blood. I infected two people."

"You wear gloves if you have sores on your hands and you're cautious," said Martha.

"I would want to kill myself if I infected Tony," said Bruce. "I love him."

Martha looked into his eyes. "You can't kill yourself, can you?"

"No, I can't. General Ross injected me with enough drugs to stun a bull elephant and I'm still here. I've been shoot. Fallen out of planes. I'm immune to infectious diseases. I'm pretty hard to kill."

"I have a friend I watched die a few times to see him get right back up." Martha sipped her tea. "He had times in his life when he wanted to die, but he learned to accept that he can't and now he is very happy to be alive."

"Jack," Bruce didn't say that as a question.

"Love, you bought that mug to remind yourself that every day is a new beginning." Martha continued to look at Bruce, instead of her monitor. "Tony read your file. He knows you're contagious. You explain to him that you need to talk about it before you go any further. He will understand."

Bruce, finally, took a bit of his cheesecake. "Are you sure you don't want any?"

xxxx

After his cheesecake, Bruce went to his apartment. No food in his refrigerator, yet. Tony had furnished it with a bed, a few chairs, a computer and an entertainment center. The lounge had a bigger screen, but his room was nicer than a shack in a third world country. It was all blue and beige. At least, Tony wasn't tacky enough to give him a room with green walls or sheets.

Sitting on his bed, looking out the window at the New York skyline, Bruce wondered if he would be staying here long enough to give this room his own style. He didn't even know what his style was. Some Mexican rugs to add color to the hard wood floor. He needed prayer candles and a Buddha for his meditation. A yoga mat would also be good.

After turning on the computer, Bruce wrote a list of things he would need to buy. A small list since he didn't want to use all the money Fury gave him for consulting. He would also get some pantry items, so he could start cooking like he promised Betty. The kitchenette had a bowls, plates, cups and saucers for 4. Under the stove were pots and pans needed for cooking. Did Tony plan for him to stay here? Or did he design rooms, so visiting scientists wouldn't have to rent a hotel room while working at the tower?

While typing his list, Bruce heard a knock at the door.

"Who's there?" asked Bruce.

"Mr. Stark is standing outside your door," said Jarvis. "Should I let him in?"

Bruce said, "Tony, come in."

The door clicked open. Jarvis was a nice AI unlike ATMOS, but he still was a bit uncomfortable with the computer controlling so much of the tower's operation. If he was uncomfortable when he was removed from much of the horror safe in India, he wondered how Martha felt when she was working for UNIT saving the world from a computer system created by aliens.

Tony entered the room to see Bruce still typing at his keyboard. "What you up to?"

"I was planning on doing my own shopping. As much as I love this room, it needs some color and my prayer candles." Bruce pointed to a corner. "I need a Buddha. When I asked a priest at Dharamsala if I was going to be a cockroach in my next life, he said I'm a cockroach in this life. I wonder how much he was teasing. I meet Thor and I want a shrine to Buddha in my apartment. Crazy, huh?"

"Not crazy," said Tony. "Steve is still doing his Jesus thing."

"So says the atheist." Bruce hit the print button. "Do you want to keep me company while I'm shopping."

Tony put an arm around Bruce. "Why did you freak out before?"

"I'm contagious," Bruce said. "I got scared that I was going to hurt you."

"Honey, we'll use the beta-blocker next time and condoms. I'm not giving up on you."

Bruce fingered his_ japa malas_, his prayer beads were in his backpack along with his laptop and some clothing. He repeated his mantra in his head. Bruce didn't know how long he was lost in his own thoughts. "I'm back."

Tony's arm was still around Bruce. "I was wrong to laugh at you meeting the Dalia Lama. I'll pay for your prayer candles to make it up to you."

Bruce was looking at his fingers on his beads. "I need to own more than my prayer beads and a toothbrush. You can buy some rugs to cover these bare floors if you insist on shopping for me."

"Fair enough."

"When I move on, I can leave the rugs here."

"If not when?"

"I'll be back," said Bruce. "You visit me and I'll visit you. Promise?"

Tony hugged Bruce. "Promise."


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers. Marvel does.

xxxx

Tony insisted on having Happy chauffeur them around. Tony made no snarky remarks while Bruce decided which candles to buy and then decided on an incense-burning Buddha, but his silence didn't last. "You like being broke. You enjoy looking at price tags and debating, which idol to get over a few dollars here or there."

"And you were doing so well," said Bruce.

"On what? Not insulting you for not taking my money?" said Tony. "Or not insulting you for worshiping a little metal statue?"

"I don't worship Buddha," said Bruce. "The Buddha gives me a place to focus. I want to share his peace and enlightenment for a few seconds. Leave me behind so to speak."

"I don't get this religion thing," said Tony. "Science explains the universe quite well."

"I was an atheist when I started meditating," said Bruce. "It helps to believe in something bigger than yourself."

"The universe is bigger than me," said Tony. "I'm not going to drink tea and say _'Om Mani Padme Hum._'"

Ignoring Tony being Tony, Bruce started looking for cones to put in his incense burner.

"Honey, did you eat dinner tonight?" asked Tony.

"I had leftover cheesecake and Rooibos with raw sugar," admitted Bruce.

"And you insult my eating habits?" Tony said. "We're going to get a real dinner."

"We can stop at a supermarket and I can buy us some steaks, potatoes and whatever vegetables looks good and make us some dinner," said Bruce.

"Potatoes take too long to cook," moaned Tony, "and it's already getting late."

"I'll buy a pressure cooker," said Bruce. "You haven't lived until you're eaten my garlic potatoes."

xxxx

After the shopping trip, Bruce invited Tony into his apartment, letting Tony watch him clean and chop his potatoes before putting them into the pressure cooker with the garlic and other seasonings. "Cauliflower goes good with potatoes, but we'll save that for another day." Then Bruce, finally, set up a little Buddhist shrine in the corner of the room. "No incense. I want you to smell my cooking."

Tony was sitting at the kitchen table, acting very unTony-like. He was, probably, trying to reverse engineer some Chitauri technology in his head or doing upgrades on his Ironman suit.

With the oven preheated, Bruce put the steaks on the broiler. "I haven't grilled steak in years. I hope I remember how long to cook them." Finding a large salad bowl and salad tongs, Bruce opened a bag of prewashed romaine lettuce then chopped tomatoes and cucumbers to make a salad. He put two salad bowls and the salad on the table on the table along with salad dressing. "You can eat. You don't have to wait for me."

Bruce turned over the steaks. The potatoes still had a few more minutes, but when it came to potatoes, a pressure cooker was faster than a microwave. Bruce filled two cups with ice cubes then took the warm soda from the bag. "It's the best I can do on short notice."

"I can get some wine from the penthouse and be right back," said Tony.

"I'll stick with the soda." Bruce dumped one of the cups filled with ice into the sink. Before Tony returned the steaks and potatoes were done and plated. Bruce waited for Tony to take a bite before he ate his steak.

"You can section alien brains and you can cook," said Tony.

"I have many talents." Bruce took a bite of his medium-rare steak then drank some soda. Pink without too much blood dripping out. He then tasted his potatoes.

"You remember that when you think you're less than a cockroach," said Tony. "After dinner, you can show me what you're good at between the sheets. And if you want to hide in your mind this once, I won't stop you."

Bruce stopped eating a second to say, "Thanks."

After dinner, Tony helped him clean up. Bruce put the uneaten salad away to be saved for tomorrow. The steak and potatoes were gone, so Tony, obviously, liked his cooking.

xxxx

"Get on the bed," said Bruce.

"I like it when you're forceful," teased Tony, complying.

Bruce unbuttoned then unzipped Tony's jeans then pulled down his jeans then his boxers.

Tony took off his tee-shirt to expose his naked chest. "Mood lighting."

Bruce climbed in the bed beside him. "Jarvis, turn off the lights." The room was dark, except for the LED's from the microwave, TV and the other electronics in the room. Tony's arc reactor out-lit the background lighting, giving the room a blue glow. "Can I touch it?"

"Sure," said Tony.

Bruce put a tentative finger on it. It was slightly warm to the touch - body temperature. The skin around it had healed into the metal. That reactor kept Tony alive. "Can I just lie in your arms and admire that beautiful piece of technology keeping you alive?"

"If you agree to wear a less clothing."

Bruce kicked his shoes off then removed his socks. Tony helped him with the buttons on his shirt. Bruce took off his shirt the rest of the way and then removed his discount-rack trousers, leaving Bruce only wearing his underwear.

Tony giggled. "Tighty whities work on you."

"Your striped boxers are so much more attractive." Bruce returned to resting against Tony's chest. A finger touched the plexiglass of the arc reactor.

"I would look good in a paper sack." Tony put an arm around Bruce and curled his body against Bruce's.

"Paper sacks are easy to rip off, too," teased Bruce.

Tony took Bruce's hand. "You can touch me."

"Get the shot ready first," said Bruce.

"And I was so enjoying lying in bed with you," moaned Tony. "I hate getting up."

Bruce got up, found the syringe that he placed in the end table, putting it in Tony's reach. "When Jarvis announces my pulse is rising, inject it into muscle. I don't care which muscle. I wish I could do it myself, but it has to be given when I'm changing."

Bruce straddled himself over Tony facing toward his lower reigns and went to work taking long licks of Tony's penis, watching Tony squirm. Then he put his penis in his mouth and mouth fucked it. Bruce's mind was on the moment as he remembered to breath through his nose. When Tony came, Bruce swallowed then slowly pushed Tony's penis out of his mouth with his tongue.

Bruce rested against Tony's chest, again.

Tony kissed the top of Bruce's head. "Thank you."

"Anytime," said Bruce.

"Will you marry me?" asked Tony.

"I have a bad temper," said Bruce, "and I meditate and drink tea."

"You cook and give great blowjobs," said Tony. "And I so need taking care of."

Bruce looked into Tony's eyes in the light of the arc reactor. "I'll think about it."

Tony clasped Bruce's hand. "Your fingers are a bit thicker than mine. The next bigger ring size should fit."

Bruce kissed Tony's cheek, wondering if Tony had told himself years ago that if he could find someone that could cook and give head, he would marry him or her before they got away. With Tony, it was hard to tell when the man was serious.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: The Avengers are owned by Marvel and Martha Jones and Mickey Smith belong to BBC.

xxxx

The next morning, Bruce got up before Tony. Since he had groceries in his apartment, he made breakfast in his apartment instead of the employee lounge. With the tea still in the lounge, Bruce took his New York City water bagel to the lounge and started his water for tea. Martha was already drinking tea and reading the news.

"How was your night?" asked Bruce. "Are you getting used to New York time?"

"I suppose," said Martha. "I slept in until 6 o'clock this morning."

Bruce looked at the clock on the microwave. "7:15. I thought it was later."

"Should we let Betty sleep?"

"I made Tony dinner and he proposed," said Bruce.

"Tom proposed after only knowing me a few days," said Martha. "Big mistake."

"You're engaged, again," said Bruce.

"I can't help myself. Mickey understands things Tom couldn't comprehend. It's a better fit. The universe is crazy and we all need someone."

"Do you love him?"

"It was love at first sight," said Martha. "Mickey isn't interested in dead aliens. It's the live ones that bother him."

"I don't know if Tony was being serious," Bruce said, making his tea. "I told him I have a bad temper. Me having a bad temper is like Katrina being a little rain."

"If he is serious, will you say yes?" asked Martha.

Bruce smiled. "I told the SHEILD agent that recruited me that I don't always get what I want. Some of the things I didn't get were friends that last longer than a few months and I don't get the house with the picket fence. I won't be getting a picket fence with Tony, but marriage wasn't in my list of possibilities."

"It's nice to be invited to the party." Martha sipped her tea and looked away from her monitor. "But do you want to go to the party with him?"

"This said from a woman engaged to two different men the same year?"

"Then I know of what I speak."

Bruce ate another bite of his bagel and sipped some tea while he thought about it. "Tony loves me. He gushed all over me when we meet. It was love at first sight for him. According to Thor and Captain American, the Hulk leaped off several buildings to catch Tony. And I had a panic attack at the thought of hurting him, if that isn't love, what is?"

Martha smiled. "You have it bad."

"Don't I know it." Bruce ate the rest of his bagel. "And you changed the screen to the news, but you were Skyping Mickey."

"I'm that apparent?"

"No one is that interested in the news." Bruce smiled then drank some more tea. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. After the ATMOS situation, are you OK with Jarvis controlling the tower?"

"It gives me the willies, especially when I'm in my flat alone," said Martha. "Mickey is the computer expert, but he's across the Pond. I suppose as long as Jarvis doesn't tell me this is my final destination, I can handle it."

"The tower sits on the Earth that is going in an ellipsis around the sun and the solar system moves in the spiral arm of the Milky Way, so we are always moving," said Jarvis. "We will eventually collide with Andromeda, but that is billions of years away."

"Thank you, Jarvis," said Martha.

"We could also get sucked into the black hole in the center of the galaxy, but that is also billions of years away. The sun will nova engulfing Mercury, Venus and Earth long before then," explained Jarvis.

"Thank you, Jarvis." Martha went back to her Skyping. "I have to thank Tony for programming you so well."

"Betty has a lot of cells to examine this morning," said Bruce. "I made the slides she requested."

"We still need to learn the actual cause of death," said Martha. "And we need to keep one body intact, so we can try to reanimate it. Our work is far from over."

"I'm going to buy the fish I promised Betty," said Bruce.

"Hurry back," said Martha.

xxxx

After he put the fish in the refrigerator, Bruce joined Betty and Martha in the lab. While Betty looked at the prepared slides, Martha had Bruce help her autopsy a Chitauri. While he was sawing into the Chitauri chest, he asked Jarvis to play one of Tony's heavy metal albums and remembered all the reasons he didn't go into pathology.

What bothered him wasn't how different the Chitauri were from human; it was how similar they were. His Hippocratic oath told him to do no harm. Yet, they were here looking for ways to kill other sentient beings. Bruce supposed, if they had willingly been sent to Earth to kill them, his conscience wouldn't be bothering him so much. But they had been under mind-control like Clint and Erik. The puppet-master(s) on the ship had been responsible.

Cause of death was straight forward enough, organ failure. Heart attack. Their hearts stopped beating the same time their other organs failed. While Martha was writing her notes and, probably, chatting with Mickey on the side, she told Bruce he could go to lunch.

While grilling the salmon and streaming mixed vegetables, Bruce said, "Jarvis, ask Tony to join me in the lounge."

"Mr. Stark is away on business," said the AI.

"Ironman or Stark Industries business?" asked Bruce.

"Ironman," said the AI.

"Thank you." Bruce would save Tony's portion of lunch for later. "Tell Tony I love him."

A moment later, Jarvis said, "He said he loves you, too."

xxxx

Author's Note: I promise more sex when Tony gets home. I'm used to writing the bedroom door closed then it opened as sex scenes, so bear with me. I also want to stay within the Mature rating and not have anything triple X. I promise short awkward sex scenes. Hopefully, the awkwardness will be due the characters interacting and not due to the author being clumsy. I apologize in advance.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: I still don't own anything but my tooothbrush.

xxxx

Betty and Martha arrived to the smell of food cooking to find Bruce doctoring the salad no one had eaten last night. In addition to the lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes, Bruce added some red onion and Kalamata olives. Then he tossed it with vinaigrette before placing the salad bowl on the table. Both ladies took salad.

Finally, he sat down with his own salad. "The fish is nearly done and the vegetables are in the microwave." After putting aside Tony's portion, he served the women and himself the fish and vegetables. He saved some vegetables for Tony although Tony didn't eat his salad twice - last night's dinner and at the restaurant two nights earlier. "I don't think Fury meant for his money to be used for lunch."

"Why not?" said Martha. "We should eat well on his dollar. You can write an expense report if it makes you feel better."

"This from a man who steals clothing," said Betty.

"You might prefer me naked," said Bruce. "But I have some dignity."

"Keep buying lunch on the SHEILD credit card," said Martha. "I'll need you this afternoon. No sneaking off for afternoon loving."

"That isn't very likely," said Bruce. "Since Tony is away on business."

"Tony proposed to Bruce last night," said Martha.

"I haven't said yes, yet," said Bruce.

"But you haven't said no," said Martha.

"I'm going to get a rice cooker on Fury's dollar," said Bruce. "I make great _gobi matar._ You can't eat Indian food without saffron rice."

Betty said, "You're changing the subject."

"I made him dinner then gave him head," said Bruce. "Knowing Tony, he, probably, told himself, if he can find someone who can cook and give great head, he was going to marry them before they could get away. I'm not taking him too seriously."

"Bruce, I'm happy for you," said Betty.

"I'm sorry things didn't work out for you and Leo," said Bruce.

"He never really forgave me for running off with you," said Betty.

"I'm sorry," said Bruce.

"Stop apologizing. You're a great guy," said Betty, "But I don't think I can spend my life waiting for you to get home while you're helping with some AIDS orphans in Africa or treating patients with some virus that the CDC still hasn't identified, yet."

"You waited at home for Glenn Talbot," said Bruce.

"And that worked out so well," The former Betty Talbot said with sarcasm. That marriage lasted almost as long as Martha's engagement to Tom Mulligan. "I'm not cut out to be a military wife. I'm only dating civilians from now on and no one my father likes. Do you know anyone?"

"Most of my co-workers at Pierre's Plants claimed to have girlfriends or wives at home," said Bruce. "Then I talked about Isabel and your lovely black hair and other things."

Betty said, "I don't want to know."

"I stayed in Brazil awhile but the other guy trashed the place. Everywhere else I was pretty much known as the American doctor. People didn't get too close and I liked it that way," explained Bruce. "I think part of the reason Tony wants to marry me is so I always come home to him."

"I don't think marrying you was ever in the cards," said Betty. "My daddy still thinks you're military property. Fury has made him back-off, but it's an uneasy truce."

"Gay marriage is recognized in New York State, but the federal government doesn't recognize it. So Tony could still be forced to testify against me or turn me over to federal agents. What really bothers me is I don't want his assesses frozen because of me." All those things could happen even if it the government recognized gay marriage. However, they would have more legal opinions to keep Tony safe because a legally recognized spouse couldn't be forced to testify against his/her spouse.

Martha said, "You can get married in Canada."

"I was never a legal resident of Canada since I sneaked in without a passport." Bruce smiled. "It's a nice thought though."

xxxx

Tony called Bruce that night. "I needed to handle a crisis in Libya. All the hostages are free, so I should be home soon."

"I'll be keeping the bed warm," said Bruce.

"You can move into the penthouse," said Tony.

"I'll stay in my apartment until our wedding night," said Bruce.

"When I get back, I can design a room for you or rooms in the penthouse," said Tony.

"We'll talk when you get back and I prefer to design my own room, but you can help," Bruce said. "I don't have much family, so a small wedding would be nice."

"We'll save the Tony Stark production for the reception."

"I can still say no," said Bruce. "I know about your affairs. All that excitement and our green friend will make an appearance."

"What about your beta-blocker?"

"It has to be given at the right moment," explained Bruce. "It's too risky."

"I'm not going to stop being me," said Tony. "Just like I can't ask you to stop being you."

"I can't do certain things. And lavish functions with lots of guests in tight quarters are close to the top of my list. Cameras and the press just make a bad situation worse."

"We'll have to elope then," said Tony. "I either have to slight everyone or no one. If you won't do lavish functions, who do I take as my plus-one?"

"Pepper," said Bruce. "Rhodey. Anyone that isn't me."

"Bruce, I love you."

"I love you, too."

"We'll talk more when I get home."

"I look forward to it. Good-bye." Bruce disconnected the phone. Afterward, he meditated and said his evening prayers. Finally, he went to bed alone.


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Note: I don't own Marvel or BBC. Or my apartment for that matter. Me and my toothbrush are very happy.

xxxx

After Bruce gave their findings to Fury, Bruce asked, "Do you have any data on any radio signals coming from the portal? Especially when the portal was closing and all the Chitauri died? If the frequency has already been recorded and identified, why reinvent the wheel?"

"I'll check and call you back," said Fury.

"Thanks."

About an hour later, Fury called. "We located the frequencies. Agent Hill will be over in the morning to monitor you testing the dead Chitauri for a possible response. I would prefer Tony Stark monitoring the equipment but he's still needed in the Middle East. You assure me that the Chitauri won't attack anyone while re-animated."

"It's brain-dead," said Bruce. "This isn't a sci-fi movie. We're going to hook it up to a heart/lung machine and wire it up to see if any of the sounds cause a spike. It isn't any more creepy that leaving a donor body on a heart/lung machine so the organs don't decay while the recipient is being prepped for surgery."

"Then why do I feel you're playing Frankenstein?"

"I'm Dr. Jekyll. Dr. Jones is playing the part of Dr. Frankenstein. You need to read the playbill."

"You, Mr. Stark and Dr. Jones are all mad scientists. Dr. Ross is the only sane one. And she dated you, so I wonder about her."

"What time should we be expecting Agent Hill?"

"Nine AM," said Fury. "You can feed her lunch since you have been using the expense account to pay for meals."

"Martha was brought here from England," said Bruce. "Room and board were part of the deal."

"I'm not complaining," said Fury. "Agent Hill has been wanting to try some home style Indian cuisine."

Bruce tried not to be sarcastic and failed. "Should I make enough for you?" If he married Tony, people would see him as Mrs. Stark, especially if he did all the cooking, hosted dinner parties and continued to give humanitarian aid.

Fury coughed. "All that hot stuff gives me heartburn."

About nine o'clock in the morning, Agent Hill had arrived at the tower with the data requested. Now it was a matter of testing all the noise coming from the portal for a relevant signal. Betty didn't want to be in the room while they played Dr. Frankenstein as Fury called it.

Agent Hill said, "Dr. Ross, you're either with us or you can leave. The safety of Earth is at stake."

"Then I'll leave," said Betty.

Agent Hill said, "You may see Fury for payment."

Betty gave Bruce then Martha a hug. "I'll collect my things. Good luck. I enjoyed working with you."

"We enjoyed working with you, too," said Martha. "I wish you would reconsider. Over ninety percent of our findings on Chitauri neurology is based on your input."

Bruce was about to say that he prepared all the slides that Betty had looked at, but it wasn't the place. "We need you on the team." One of the many interesting features of the cells was they didn't shatter due to frostbite. Then he expected the Chitauri cells were fairly hearty since the Chitauri flew across the vacuum of space on gliders unprotected from the hostile environment.

"I have enough guilt on my conscience for my part in what happened to you," said Betty. "I can't take part in any other less than ethical procedures."

"I am to blame for what happened that night," said Bruce.

"We were a team." Betty hugged Bruce, again. "It was great working with you, again. I need to get packing before I'm a tear-covered mess. I'll keep in contact."

"I'll have Mickey track you down if you don't, Mickey fired a missile at 10 Downing Street. He isn't anyone you want to mess with." Martha made Mickey sound like a terrorist; something one shouldn't do around SHIELD agents. Then Martha probably didn't care and Mickey sounded like a hacker on par with Tony.

Betty smiled. "I'll keep that in mind."

Martha gave Betty another good-bye hug.

After Betty left, Agent Hill said, "Are we set?"

After Bruce hooked it up to a heart/lung machine to keep it quote alive, Martha used electricity to reanimate the corpse then Martha put electrodes all over its body to measure any changes caused by the sounds while Bruce monitored it's vital signs. Agent Hill played the first sound. Nothing. Since the Chitauri was brain-dead, they might not get a positive reading even if they found the right sound.

The next few sounds caused no noticeable change in the readings.

"Don't give up," said Maria Hill. "We will have a few more notes to play."

"It isn't over till the fat lady sings," teased Bruce.

"Let's take a coffee break," said Martha. "Bruce made saffron rice this morning and promised to make _gobi matar_ for lunch."

"Cauliflower and peas," said Bruce. "And the rice is in the rice cooker, keeping warm."

"He makes a great cup of tea," said Martha.

"It's the New York City water," said Bruce. "I deserve none of the credit."

"Bruce is so modest," said Martha. "He wanted me to be in charge of the project because he has been out of the field for so many years, but I should be the one assisting him. He has taught me so much."

Bruce blushed.

"One more note," said Maria Hill. "Then tea."

The sound like all the others was outside the range of human hearing. However, the corpse heard this one. The electrodes registered a small change that got more violent as the sound continued. Finally, they found the readings they were after.

"That's it," said Martha, looking at the needles jump.

Agent Hill wrote down the frequency and duration needed. "Thank you for you help. Let's get that tea."

"We just gave you the code to kill innocent people," said Bruce.

"It is either us or them," said Agent Hill. "The people on Earth will thank you."

"We did what we had to do, but I don't feel good about it," said Bruce. "People that want to kill or imprison the other guy don't take me into consideration. So this does feel personal. I don't know who the Chitauri would be if they weren't under mind-control. None of us do. I'm off my soapbox. Sorry."

Maria Hill put an arm around Bruce. "Let's hope we never need to use this."

"Doing what is necessary isn't always easy." Bruce walked away from Maria, not wanting a hug right now. He wanted his space and the other guy wanted out. "I'm a scientist. I know that means making difficult choices. Let's have some tea."

After they were sitting in the lounge, Bruce rolled up his sleeve.

"Are you sure?" asked Martha.

Bruce nodded.

Martha gave him the shot.

Although he felt a bit loopy, Bruce got a band-aid from the first-aid kit and bandaged the injection site. He didn't need to risk anyone being exposed to his blood. "Better safe than sorry. I'll make the tea now."

While watching Bruce who was a bit unsteady on his feet make tea, Maria Hill asked, "What just happened?"

"Bruce, over the years, has made improvements to Stern's formula. It can keep him from becoming the Hulk, but it needs to be given when he is changing and it is far from perfect," Martha explained.

"And he didn't tell us," said Agent Hill.

"Agent Romanoff wouldn't let him collect his things," said Martha. "It wouldn't have worked against Loki's spear anyway. The duration is too short."

"Can he put it on a continuous drip?" asked Maria Hill.

"It has side effects," said Martha.

Having put the kettle on, Bruce walked back over to the sofa. He was already a bit more steady on his feet. His mind was bit less cloudy, but the other guy's anger was no longer gone - lower than normal - but not gone. He would be working toward putting it on a continuous drip if he didn't have to let the other guy out occasionally to keep the side effects from killing him. Although it was a lot safer than the shit Stern gave him, it was still far from safe. Sitting down on the sofa a bit less graceful than he hoped, Bruce realized he must have looked drunk or stoned. "I don't want Fury to know about this."

Agent Hill said, "I can't promise anything, but your secret is safe for the moment."

Bruce looked at the bandage on his arm. "Thanks."

Martha said, "After I help you clean up, I can go back home to my Mickey."

"Give Mickey a big hug for me," said Bruce.

"Will do. Love, be good to yourself." Martha poured the tea into the teapot. After letting it steep, she poured out to allow Bruce to sit. Bruce had a firm grip on his mug. She sat beside him. "And let Tony be good to you."

xxxx

Author's Note: I just started writing another story with Martha playing Dr. Frankenstein. It's the third story of my Owen/Diane romance - Heart of the Matter. I know all you Owen/Tosh shippers are cringing. Sorry.


	15. Chapter 15

Author's Notes: Disclaimers are boring. I don't own the characters. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

xxxx

After all the Chitauri corpses were out of the tower, Martha and Bruce hugged one last time in front of the black limo provided by SHEILD.

"Thanks for the "I heart NY' mug," said Martha. "It is so you."

"Thanks. I'll be at your wedding even if Tony has to sneak me into England." Bruce played with his hands. "Agent Hill, you heard nothing."

"Dr. Banner, we'll do our best to get you a passport before Dr. Jones's big day," said Hill.

"Have a safe journey," shouted Bruce as Martha was forced into the limo.

Martha waved good-bye as the chauffeur locked the doors. When Bruce was finally able to go inside, he took the elevator to find Tony's robots had made the laboratory look as spotless as the never-used laboratories. Then Bruce said, "Jarvis, have the tea, teapots and all the food I bought brought to my apartment."

"As you wish, Sir," said the AI.

xxxx

Bruce had spent a lot of the last ten years alone. This time was different because he knew Tony would soon be home. After he was sitting with his tea, he called Tony. "Betty and Martha left. It's just me and Jarvis here."

"I miss you," said Tony. "Keep the bed warm for me."

"I shall," said Bruce.

"I'll see you in a few hours."

"I'm not going anywhere," said Bruce.

xxxx

When Tony got home, Tony asked, "Is Bruce awake?"

"Dr. Banner is sleeping," said Jarvis. "Do you want to know his heart rate?"

"That isn't necessary." Tony wanted wake Bruce up with kisses. Then again, if Bruce freaked out, having to inject him with his beta-blockers first thing after being gone for two days wouldn't be a great homecoming. Since Tony lived for danger, he decided to risk waking Bruce up.

After Jarvis unlocked the door, Tony went over to Bruce's bed, undressed and slid into bed beside him. Wrapping his arms around Bruce, he started kissing his forehead, cheeks and neck. Bruce batted a hand like he was swatting a bug in his sleep near his face then yawned.

Tony moved his face out of the way of Bruce's hand. Then Tony caught Bruce's hand in his.

"Tony," Bruce said in a sleepy voice. "I missed you."

Tony returned to cuddling Bruce. "Honey, I missed you, too."

"I'm still your Honey." Bruce wrapped his naked legs around Tony and smiled. His eyes closed.

Holding his Honey close, Tony fell asleep. After getting his morning coffee, Tony went to the lab to find Bruce already working on improving his adrenaline-blocker.

Bruce explained, "If I'm able adjust the dosage for a continuous drip, I'll be able to wear it as a pump like some diabetes do with their insulin. Once I work out the details, I'll be able to attend any party without fear."

"That's great news," said Tony.

"Martha gave me an injection yesterday," said Bruce. "The other guy was gone from my head for several minutes. The medication also made me dizzy."

"How dizzy?" Tony watched Bruce work.

"I could stand and I was able to turn on the stove to boil water for tea," said Bruce. "But I felt a bit shaky on my feet."

"We can't have you all wobbly at an important business function."

"Why not? Lots of people need to be medicated to attend those things and then you self-medicate with liquor. I rather have people see me stoned than have the other guy trash the place. I've woken up naked surrounded by a crowd of gawkers. I don't embarrass easy."

"You blush all the time." Tony put an arm around Bruce's shoulders. "And I don't want you stoned at your own wedding."

"My reaction times were off - way off - but I was aware of my surroundings. Once I get used to the other guy not being there, I may like being alone in my own head. Him not being there makes me feel like part of me is missing." Bruce was looking at the data from electron microscope and not at Tony.

"Part of you is missing," said Tony.

"If I could incorporate him back into me, I would have done it years ago. Have you even read Martin Minsky?_ Society of the Mind_?"

Tony nodded. He heard of the book and even met Martin Minsky while he was at MIT.

"Some of my agents don't talk to each other, and that isn't healthy, but at this point in time there is nothing I can do about it. What I am able to do is improve my quality of life within my limits." Bruce's fingers were busy at the computer keyboard while he spoke. "Beta-adrenergic blocking agents can cause dizziness among other things. All medication has side effects. Since I can keep the other guy away for months at a time as long as no one with their own source of gamma rays interferes with me, I would only use the pump for events where I would be exposed to abnormally high levels of stress."

"Then why did Martha inject you yesterday?" asked Tony.

"I felt the other guy coming and I could have pushed him back inside on my own," said Bruce. "But I wanted to test the medication before Martha returned to the other side of the Pond."

"That makes sense," said Tony.

"I saved you some salmon and mixed vegetables," said Bruce.

"You're changing the subject."

"You've been away for two days," explained Bruce. "After I'm done here, we have a lot to talk about."

"You shooing me away?" asked Tony.

"No, you can stay and watch." Bruce took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose then put his glasses back on. Then he returned to typing something into the computer.

Tony kissed Bruce's cheek. "I'm going to get some more coffee. Then I need to work on my own projects."

"I won't keep you." Bruce finished the equation he was typing, got up from his stool then kissed Tony. A long kiss on the lips with his hands wrapped around Tony. "Welcome home."

xxxx

Bruce ate his _gobi matar_ while Tony had the salmon. "Were you serious about getting married?"

"I wasn't at the time, but now that I think about it, I like the idea," said Tony. "We're good together."

Bruce sat across from Tony at his dining room table. "Did you ever propose to Pepper?"

"No, never," said Tony.

"Even in jest?" asked Bruce.

"No." Tony did eat his vegetables, so he didn't hate all vegetables across the board. "Why this interest in Pepper?"

"She is still your CEO, so I'm going to have to deal with her. Even if I complete a residency in plastic surgery and opened a clinic on Park Avenue, I could never compete with you financially, and that is so not me. I'm going to continue use my gifts to help people with infectious diseases and do other charitable activities. I expect people are going to see me your cute little wife. I guess I'm OK with it."

"You aren't," said Tony.

"You have always been in the limelight. I'm used to hiding. I've crossed into several countries unnoticed because I'm an expert at using the Jedi mind trick. _These are not the Droids you're looking for_." Bruce laughed. "Just being in your shadow is going to be nerve-wracking enough."

"Just continue to use the Jedi mind trick when nosy reporters want to ask you questions," said Tony.

"I shall." Bruce played with his rice.

"I can handle any reporter," said Tony. "You decide when you want to go public with our relationship. I won't push the media on you. However, if we decide to elope, we will have less than a week to announce our secret marriage to the world."

Bruce swallowed. "I understand all that."

"We have this large dining room in the penthouse and here we are using a suite I designed for corporate guests. I'm not going to push you to move into the penthouse, but feel free to use the facilities. I have a state-of-the-art kitchen just waiting to be used with someone with your talents since Pepper and I can barely boil water. Why stay here and bump into the counters?"

"I am not bumping into the counters. The kitchenette is nicer than my kitchen in India. And in Canada, I shared a kitchen with 3 other men. I think sitting at a table with my knees touching your knees is much more romantic than a large dining room table."

Tony took Bruce's hand. "You put it that way and we can eat all our meals here."

Bruce looked at Tony's hand clasping his hand. "You're so fragile compared to me, and you treat me like I'm the delicate one."

"I'm not all that fragile."

"That arc reactor is the only thing keeping you alive. When you fell from the sky, my body took the impact. The other guy cradling you in his arms is the only reason you aren't a pile of broken bones. Pepper left because she couldn't keep you safe. I want to wrap you in cotton, but at the same time, I fear that I could hurt you or kill you."

"Whoa," said Tony. "You wouldn't hurt me."

"The other guy hurt Betty. It could happen. You playing down my fears won't make you any safer."

"Honey, let me touch you," said Tony. "If your heart races, again, I'll give you a shot. We need to push through whatever made you panic."

"You help me wash the dishes and OK."

Tony kissed Bruce's forehead. "You drive a hard bargain."


	16. Chapter 16

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers. They belong to Marvel.

xxxx

After the dishes were washed and put away, Bruce got naked, lied on the bed to focus on his breathing until he went to his happy place.

Tony got on the bed and kissed Bruce. "This is suppose to be fun." Then Tony undressed to his plaid boxers. He kissed Bruce's hairy chest. Then he rested his head on Bruce's chest. "The Hulk cradled me in his arms. You said so yourself. He wants me safe and protected. Even if the excitement makes you change, you won't hurt me. I trust you."

Bruce didn't want to scare Tony, but he had to get his point across. "Whatever you do, don't touch my anus."

"Just your penis for now."

"OK." Bruce breathed in then out slowly. The only sore on his body was the small injection site wound on his arm, meaning Tony wasn't at risk of having blood to blood contact with Bruce by simply touching him. Tony has been bruised from battle, but he had no open wounds. Fresh bruises from whatever happened in the Middle East when he was freeing those hostages. Bruce wanted to kiss them and make it better.

Feeling Tony going lower on his body, Bruce closed his eyes. A hand touched his penis arousing him. The other hand was fingering his balls. Bruce let himself be aware of the sensation but he kept his mind calm.

"How are you doing?" asked Tony.

"I'm good," Bruce's voice squeaked a little.

"I'm going to stroke your penis a bit. If it gets too much, yell stop."

Bruce nodded. No one had touched him down there since before his accident. After so many years, it was like he was a virgin, again. He fired fast. Too fast for the other guy to make an appearance. "Sorry."

Tony laughed. "The plumbing works."

Bruce opened his eyes to see a bruise on the side of Tony's stomach just starting to discolor. "You're hurt."

"It's nothing - just a few broken blood vessels," said Tony. "I don't even feel it anymore."

Bruce fingered a bruise on Tony's leg. "Seeing all those bruises on you. And don't say you bruise easy."

"Every time I use the suit, I'm going to come home with bruises," said Tony. "Some days I'll have more than others. Jarvis whines with each bruise. I don't know why I programmed him to be such a big baby."

"Because you want him to watch out for you." Bruce's hand clasped Tony's leg being careful not to put pressure on the bruise. "Over the next few days, you're going to have colorful marks all over your body."

"And you don't bruise?"

Bruce took off the band-aid. "I bruise just the same as you."

Tony touched Bruce's arm.

"Careful," said Bruce. "You break the scab and you can get very sick. A few drops of my blood can give you radiation poisoning. Blood-to-blood contact and I can infect you."

Tony straddled Bruce to look at him face-to-face. "Are you telling me we can never have sex?"

"Condoms and latex gloves," said Bruce. "Never touch my anus with your hands. A cracked cuticle and I don't want to think about it. A hangnail and it's all over. That's why I panicked before."

"Can you touch me?" asked Tony.

"My blood hits your blood - it doesn't matter who tops. I check my hands for cuts each time I cook. It's second nature now."

"I can do latex gloves," said Tony. "Now I'm the one who is sorry. I didn't understand. Blonsky had himself infected and Stern had vials of your blood. It's been over ten years and no one has been infected by causal contact. I know I read your file."

"We don't know how much blood it takes. I'll get a fresh bandage and we can cuddle." Bruce rolled away from Tony and got out of the King-sized bed. The medical community is very careful to avoid blood-to-blood contact since the start of the AIDS epidemic. So caution was par for the course. After walking to the bathroom, he got a band-aid to dress his wound. Finally, Bruce climbed into bed. "Do you still want to get married?"

"Honey, this doesn't change anything." Tony wrapped his arms around Bruce and kissed the back of his head. "I still love you."

After a short afternoon nap, Bruce got up and put his clothes back on. "I can get back to improving my beta-blocker or I can watch you work the rest of the day."

"Can't we cuddle more?" asked Tony.

Bruce looked at the bruises on Tony's arms, legs and back. He was a lot sorer than he let on. "You rest. I need to get back to my work. I'll be back in a few hours to make dinner. Then we can cuddle all night."

"Honey, get some gloves from the lab and some olive oil and we can test the waters a little," said Tony. "With your limitations, you should bottom for now. My nails were trimmed, so I won't scratch you, but we'll use gloves until you're more comfortable."

"Thanks." Bruce got a box of surgical gloves from the lab and olive oil from the kitchen. After he put the gloves and oil on the same end table as the syringe, Bruce undressed and got into bed.

"The slightest thing makes you blush, but you get naked like other people would take off their coat," said Tony.

"I've woken up naked in the oddest places," said Bruce. "I'm not embarrassed by my body."

"You shouldn't be," said Tony. "It's very nice. You're incredibly sexy. You're lean muscular, just perfect."

"I hurt just looking at you," said Bruce. "The last time I saw someone as beat-up as you, she was in a car accident."

"You can look away from me as I play with your hiney." Tony snapped the glove very loudly.

Bruce looked away as Tony suggested. His eyes went to his shrine with the candles and the incense-burning Buddha._ Om Mani Padme Hum._ He cleared his mind and focused on the little metal Buddha.

Another glove went snap and Tony laughed, "Mhhhahahah," doing his best evil scientist.

Bruce farted while Tony played with his butt. Then what did he expect after having cauliflower and peas for lunch? Gas and more gas. Tony continued to play with his butt-hole, so a little out-gassing didn't phase Tony.

"Farting in my face is so sexy," teased Tony.

"Sorry," said Bruce.

"I'll forgive you. You owe me a blowjob when I'm a bit less sore."

"So you admit all those bruises hurt."

"A bit. Also when I'm a bit less sore, I'll teach you the joys of anal sex."

Bruce smiled. "I look forward to it."

Tony returned to playing with his butt-hole. "If I keep my fingers manicured, I won't need gloves." Tony made the gloves snap, again. "I feel like I'm playing doctor - in a naughty mad scientist kind of way - kinky."

Bruce was enjoying himself. Whatever, Tony was doing down there felt really good. No gloves next time, if he could check Tony's hands first for hangnails and rough edges. A single scratch wasn't going to turn Tony into a green monster. Bruce knew that, but he also liked that Tony was willing to play by his rules.


	17. Chapter 17

Author's Note: I still don't owe anything.

xxxx

After Tony threw the gloves in the trash can, Bruce rolled over and kissed a bruise on Tony's belly. "I hate seeing you hurt."

"Pepper called the contractors to start the repairs now that secret SHIELD autopsies aren't being performed in the building," said Tony. "So you should except workmen in the lobby."

"When will the workmen be here?" asked Bruce.

"Tomorrow morning," said Tony. "Nineish. They aren't on Greenwich Mean Time like Martha. Jarvis can handle it, but foremen like having a human being sign their paperwork and you know how I feel about being handed things."

"Who do I say I am?" asked Bruce.

"My personal assistant," said Tony.

"Ouch." Bruce sat up in the bed.

"I rather have people meet you in a press conference." Pushing himself up on an elbow that didn't look too bruised, Tony didn't hide the pain on his face. "I wouldn't mind the rumors that I have a man living with me, but having it come out like that would hurt Pepper."

Bruce said, "At this press conference, who are you going to say I am?"

"You're a scientist SHIELD found to find the Tesseract," said Tony. "Although you didn't find it in time to stop the portal from being opened, you and I hit it off talking science around all those military types. It's always best to stay close to the truth. It is so hard to remember lies. It was love at first sight."

"Got it." Bruce smiled.

"People saw you give the Tesseract to Thor in Central Park then ride off with me," said Tony. "So you having something to do with the Tesseract is no secret."

"I suppose not."

"Tomorrow morning, you can tell them you're the cook for all I care," said Tony.

"I'm the cook. Mr. Tony Stark can't boil water for spaghetti and his omelets are runny." Bruce kissed Tony's cheek. "Got it. I'm going to take a shower. Do you care to join me?"

"I think I'll stay in bed a bit longer." Tony rolled over and mouthed ouch.

xxxx

The next day, Bruce greeted the workmen like Tony asked, but he told then he was the cook, Roberto Gomez, in Spanish. Well, he said some English words like Big Macs, French Fries and McDonalds. He also ranted that Senorita Potts hired him to keep Senor Stark from living on fast food in her absence.

A Puerto Rican crew member told him that Jarvis cannot sign papers and they need the work order signed.

Bruce signed Roberto Gomez or initialed RG wherever the crew member pointed.

After the men had started their work, Tony, finally, came down to the lobby and asked, "What the hell was that?"

Bruce looked at him like he didn't understand a word then said, "_Senor Stark, te gustaria algun desaynuno_?"

"Yeah, I would like some breakfast," said Tony. "Jarvis was laughing so hard he could have blown a circuit."

"Jarvis doesn't laugh," said Bruce.

Tony put an arm around Bruce. "My Spanish is a bit rusty, so Jarvis had to translate the bits I didn't understand. Wonderful improv. I like that you said French Fries and Big Macs in English."

"How else would I say them?" Bruce put an arm around Tony.

"I don't eat Big Macs."

"You saw a Shwarma restaurant while battling aliens. Did you eat at all while you were freeing hostages from terrorists?"

"Not during negotiation, but I ate afterwards." Tony started walking back to the elevator. "Went to a sidewalk cafe with great kabobs. Everything kabobs. Can you cook lamb?"

"I cooked mostly vegetarian in India and a lot of pork and seafood in Mexico, Central and South America. Canada, we did a lot of chicken and some pork." Bruce thought back to everything he cooked in the last few years. The Hispanic diet was a bit of pork and a lot of beans and rice. Seafood replaced pork in coastal communities. "No lamb."

"Honey, can you cook it?"

"A good recipe and sure," said Bruce.

"Go find yourself a recipe and stay away from Pablo." Tony pushed the up button on the elevator, keeping one arm on Bruce. "I saw you flirting."

"I do not flirt. Jack flirts," said Bruce. "Martha said he can say 'hi' in such a way that it sounds like he is asking if you want to go to bed with him and you will want to say yes."

"All that with hi?" said Tony.

Bruce nodded.

Tony guided Bruce into the open elevator. "She was telling you stories. Jarvis, penthouse and have Dummy bring up Bruce's food and cooking equipment, include his tea and all the accoutrements."

"As you wish, Sir," said the AI.

Tony put both his arms around Bruce and looked into his eyes. "Now, you will have to cook in the penthouse."

"I suspect that you will also expect me to sleep in your bed," said Bruce.

"That would be nice," said Tony. "Where does your shrine go?"

"Do you have a spare room where I can lay my yoga mat?"

"I have a guest room with a futon and plenty of floor space. Will that do?"

Bruce was pushed up against the elevator wall. "For now."

After they got to the penthouse, Bruce went to the kitchen, started the coffee maker then made eggs and toast for Tony since Bruce had already ate his breakfast. Dummy had placed all of Bruce's stuff from the guest suite kitchen into the penthouse kitchen by the time Bruce was making Tony's coffee. Tony entered the room.

"What's in the slow cooker?" Tony asked.

"Dal," said Bruce. "I made enough for the whole day before I went to bed last night. And there is rice left over from my breakfast in the rice cooker. It's yours if you want it. I'll need to make more before lunch."

"You eat beans and rice for breakfast," said Tony. "No wonder you farted in my face."

"Breakfast, lunch and dinner," said Bruce. "And when I had some money, I would have a vegetable or two with my lunch or dinner. Your colon would thank you, if you ate more fiber."

"I'll try your dal for lunch, but I want a proper dinner with meat and potatoes."


	18. Chapter 18

Author's Note: I still don't own more than my toothbrush.

xxxx

After drinking some tea while Tony ate his breakfast, Bruce went to the lab to work on his beta-blocker. Once he got it to be able to be used in a continuous drip, he could attend functions beside Tony. This was important because these functions raised money to help Doctors without Borders and other charitable organizations. Tony would be there to hold his hand and he could do this for Tony.

At about two o'clock, Bruce reached a breaking point in his research. "Jarvis, ask Tony if he wants to eat lunch?"

"Mr. Stark is busy and does not wish to be disturbed," Jarvis replied.

"Tell him that if he doesn't come to the food, the food will come to him," Bruce explained.

"Message has been relayed, Dr. Banner," said the AI.

After putting the dal and rice in a Styrofoam container, Bruce took it the lab where Jarvis told him Tony was working. The door opened to his touch. Bruce placed the food on a clean table. "I now know why Pepper left you."

"Have Dummy deliver it next time," Tony said, not looking up from his work.

"And miss yelling at you; no way." Bruce sat down and put about half of the dal and rice on a plate. Then he seasoned his half with chili sauce. "I didn't know how spicy you take it."

"You don't have to eat like you did in India. Fury paid you a respectable consulting fee."

"Most of the world lives on rice and beans," said Bruce.

"Most of the world can't afford anything else," said Tony.

"Until Agent Romanoff bought me here, I couldn't afford anything else," Bruce said. "You insult me and I'll use one of those dreaded internet recipes to cook your lamb."

"Not the dreaded internet _fill in the blank_ meme," said Tony. "That is worse that The Internet Recipe of Doom."

"Yes, it is." Bruce smiled.

Tony walked over to where Bruce was eating and took a forkful from Bruce's plate. It was like a watching a disaster movie with a slow motion scene. When Tony put the fork into his mouth, Bruce yelled, "No," and forced him under the eye wash.

xxxx

As the water poured over his face, Tony felt as if his face was on fire. His eyes were burning and he couldn't feel parts of his tongue. The parts he could feel were in pain. The beans had a lumpy consistency like pumice exiting a volcano.

"Flush your eyes," ordered Bruce. "I'll be back with yogurt. Dairy products ease the burn better than water."

What was in that stuff? Pepper suggested they go to an Indian restaurant once. Tony remembered trying to cool the burn in his mouth by eating bread, only to find the bread was also peppery. What he ate before was mild compared that shit trying to burn his face off from the inside. The eye wash has cooled him enough that he was no longer sweating. If Bruce ate that for breakfast, no wonder being poked and shocked didn't bother him.

xxxx

Bruce ran to his apartment first then remembered Tony moved all his food to the penthouse kitchen. Finally, he got the yogurt from the penthouse refrigerator and ran back to the lab. After turning off the eye wash, Bruce said, "Eat the yogurt. It will help with the burning."

Tony sat down with the yogurt. "What was in that shit?"

Bruce didn't know how much of Tony being soaked was the eye wash and how much was Tony's own sweat. He had yelled no, but he wasn't fast enough. After grabbing a bunch of paper towels near the eye wash station, Bruce started patting Tony's face and hair dry.

"That sauce had some ghost chilli extract in it," explained Bruce, getting more paper towels to pat Tony dry. "It's like 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. I discovered the Bhut Jolokia while in India."

"How can you eat that stuff and not wince?"

Bruce simply stated, "I'm not human."

"Is the rice safe?" asked Tony.

"I seasoned it with you in mind." After throwing the used paper towels in the trash, Bruce played with his hands. "You have your own plate. Don't eat off of mine ever. I wouldn't want you accidentally eating more chili sauce."

Tony ate bit of rice from Styrofoam carton then returned to the yogurt. "It would taste better if my taste buds weren't burnt off; also it would go well with some chicken."

"I'll make chicken and rice for dinner tonight. I'll save my experiments with lamb until your taste buds recover. The Bhut Jolokia has somewhere between 330 thousand Scoville units to possibly a million while the jalapenos are a mere 3 thousand Scoville units since most commercial jalapenos in the US and Canada are closer to the milder side of the equation."

"And I find jalapenos to be hot." Tony continued to eat the yogurt.

"Betty warned Martha about my lead-lined stomach. I guess you didn't get the memo."

"Does your dal always taste like that?"

"You can't add salt to beans before cooking, so I season after cooking," said Bruce, "Sometimes, I put some Garam masala in it."

"You can flavor it with lava for all I care because I won't be eating it, again. Your rice is amazing though. Betty told Martha, then you liking hot food isn't a Hulk thing."

"No way. I grew up in New Mexico, so I've always liked Mexican food - the hotter the better." Later, Bruce moved to Ohio where chili comes four ways, but all of them all mild. Bruce returned to eating his dal and rice. "I gave you your own plate. I should have warned you since you like stealing my food. I'm so sorry."

After Tony ate the rest of the yogurt, Tony returned to work. Bruce watched him bring up three dimensional displays of the Chitauri glider and manipulate the display. Since Bruce wasn't an engineer, he mostly watched, asked questions and learned.

During dinner, Tony said, "Once all my bruises are healed, I'm taking you dancing."

"Once your bruises heal, you'll be stopping some terrorist organization from bombing LA."

"You help vaccinate children and bring medical supplies to small villages in Central America."

"I was walking to Brazil and it's a long walk so I stopped along the way, sometimes for months at a time. And giving medicine to needy children isn't the same thing as being a vigilante."

While Tony ate his chicken and rice, his legs didn't touch Bruce's. "We met because of Ironman."

"You joined me in the lab because you did your homework on high energy radiation and no one else did," said Bruce. "Did you know about me before you did your homework?"

"Several years ago, I told General Ross to leave you alone," said Tony.

"Did he listen?" Grabbing his plate, drink and utensils, Bruce took a seat next to Tony.

"I told him we were putting together a team. I was deliberately vague. He listened."

"Oh." Bruce touched Tony's knee for a second before his hands went back to his plate. "I miss that small table."

Tony rubbed his leg against Bruce's and put a hand on his knee. "Me, too."

"I appreciate that you put yourself in harm's way to help other people," said Bruce. "I just don't appreciate the bruises. I'm sorry that seeing you hurt bothers me."

Tony put a hand on Bruce's face and kissed him. "It shows that you love me."


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: Disclaimers are boring. I don't own Marvel or its characters.

xxxx

After putting the dinner dishes in the dishwasher, Bruce went to the room Tony put his yoga mat, prayer candles and Buddha. He lit his incense then unrolled the mat to meditate. All the worries of the day left him.

A few hours or a few minutes later (Bruce didn't keep track of time when meditating), Tony knocked on the door. Bruce opened his eyes and said, "Please, come in."

Tony came in and stood by the door. "Rhodey called. He and Pepper would like to come over for dinner tomorrow night. Pepper will be over early since she needs to talk business. Can you make paella?"

"I make a great paella." Bruce stood and stretched. "I'll need to go shopping for seafood first thing in the morning."

"I'll leave that to you." Tony hugged Bruce. "Rhodey will love you. I'll call him back."

Bruce meditated for a few minutes longer before he joined Tony in the living room. He and Betty always had separate dorm rooms then separate apartments. Bruce wasn't sure if he was comfortable sharing his space. When he had roommates before they had their own lives and he had his own life. Tony had violated his space when they first met because he wanted to see what would happen, but now Tony was in his space because he couldn't bare to be without him or so he said.

Tony was on the cell phone. "Rhodey, see you tomorrow." Tony took the phone off his ear. "All set. Let's see a movie."

It had been years since Bruce had snuggled on the sofa, eating popcorn, watching a movie. "Can we invite Steve?"

"Sure," said Tony. "You can call him. Tell him he can invite a plus-one if he wants."

Bruce picked up Tony's cell phone and found Steve's number. "Steve, are you busy tomorrow night?"

"Not really," said Steve.

"Tony is inviting a few friends," explained Bruce. "I'm making dinner. You don't have to bring anything but yourself and a friend if you want to."

"I don't know anyone, except the Avengers," said Steve.

"Martha has a little sister, but they live in England," said Bruce. "I have friends in Canada, but I'm new to New York. So I can't set you up."

"I'm fine with going alone," said Steve. "Is Dr. Ross still there?"

"No, she left a couple days ago," explained Bruce.

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Steve.

"She promised to keep in contact," said Bruce, "which is more than I ever hoped for after how awful I've treated her."

"I'll be there," said Steve. "What time?"

"Six PM," said Bruce. "Pepper is arriving earlier. Tony and Pepper will probably be discussing business all night and I could use the company. It's causal dress."

"Good. I don't have any formal wear."

"Me, either."

"I'll see you then."

"Good-bye, Steve."

"Good-bye, Dr. Banner."

Bruce gave the phone back to Tony. "I'll make enough for six in case Steve does find a friend to bring along or Pepper brings a friend."

"I'll be hosting," said Tony. "You just have to make the food."

xxxx

That night Bruce cuddled against Tony in the bed.

"Honey, I have condoms." Tony put the syringe of the nightstand. "Are you up to anal sex?"

Bruce nodded.

"Jarvis, you need to monitor Dr. Banner's pulse," announced Tony.

"It's 120 and rising," said Jarvis.

"Rising?" said Tony.

"It's already 156."

Tony took the syringe and injected it into Bruce's naked butt cheek.

"Dropping," said Jarvis. "140, 135, 128..." Jarvis announced numbers until Bruce's pulse returned to 68.

Tony kissed Bruce's cheek then held his hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," said Bruce. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing." Tony put his arms around Bruce. "It's wonderful just holding your naked body against mine. Do you want to check my fingers for rough edges or should I use latex gloves to lubricate you?"

Bruce took Tony's hands in his then looked them over. "You're good."

Tony rolled over to his side, spread some lubricant on his hands and rubbed it around to warm it before spreading it on Bruce. Trying not to laugh because Tony's fingers tickled, Bruce smiled at Tony, willing himself to have more control and not fart this time. Farting on the handsome man playing with his butt would so not be good. He could keep the Hulk from appearing for over a year; he could so not fart for a few short minutes.

A few laughs leaked out of his mouth. He wasn't sure if Tony's fingers tickled or if he was just loopy from the beta-blocker. He laughed some more and hoped Tony wasn't offended. Tony's fingers stopped touching him.

"I'm going in," said Tony.

After Tony opened the condom package, Bruce helped Tony put it on. Bruce had to concentrate through the fog caused by his medication, but he was able to assist Tony on unrolling the condom. Afterwards, Bruce smiled up at the ceiling. _I am so stoned._ He felt Tony's weight on him the same moment as he felt pressure in and around his anus. Bruce focused his eyes on Tony's face as he felt a warm feeling that must have been Tony hitting his prostate.

While Tony was still inside him, Bruce could feel the angry that told him the Hulk's presence was returning. Jarvis was still monitoring Bruce's vital signs, so Bruce told himself not to worry. Bruce wrapped his arms around Tony as he was becoming a bit more aroused as the beta-blocker was wearing off. He felt Tony shake as he came inside the condom.

Tony kissed Bruce. "You good?"

"I'm good." Bruce smiled as Tony climbed off him and threw the spend condom in the trash.

"You didn't cum."

Bruce kissed the tip of Tony's nose then hugged him. "I got hard and it felt good, real good." Bruce grabbed Tony and kissed him hard on the lips then he opened his mouth for some tongue action.

After they stopped kissing, Tony said, "I love you."

"I love you, too." Bruce's head fall onto the pillow. "I'm going to go to sleep now."


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: I don't own the characters. They belong to Marvel.

xxxx

After working on his beta-blocker most of the morning, Bruce went shopping for seafood and short-grain rice. Then he watched Tony work until Jarvis announced Pepper's arrival. Bruce could cook the rice ahead of time, but nothing was worse than overcooked seafood.

Bruce started chopping green pepper and onions while Pepper and Tony talked business. After putting the chopping vegetables in a bowl for later, Bruce got to cleaning the fish and seafood then he started making a simple cucumber soup he chilled for later. He didn't want to eavesdrop on Tony and Pepper, but he couldn't help it. They were talking more about shareholding, stock prices and resource allocation than anything to do with clean energy. Since Bruce wasn't really interested in how the stockholders felt about all of Tony's investment in R&D and the stockholders needing to see profits now, Bruce put all his attention on cooking.

The food was done before Rhodey or Steve arrived. Bruce put the Dutch oven on low heat to keep it warm and made himself some tea. "I'm making tea," said Bruce. "I know Tony doesn't want any. Ms. Potts, would you like a cup?"

"Yes, please," said Pepper. "It's Pepper."

After setting the living room table for five, Bruce bought a tray with two cups, the teapot, sugar and lemon to the living room table. Then he sat down and poured Pepper a cup.

"Thanks," said Pepper.

"Sugar and lemon?" asked Bruce.

"Just sugar," she said. "One spoonful."

After he made her tea, he poured out his own then started drinking. "I feel so out of place here. Tony told me to tell the contractors that I'm the cook. We didn't want it getting out that Tony has a boyfriend living with him until I could be prepared for the press conference."

"I know you didn't attend to steal my boyfriend. Tony wanted you more than he wanted me. He personally recruited you for the Avengers."

Bruce sipped his tea. "He told me."

"He finds your control amazing."

Bruce looked at the woman sipping her tea. "Are you angry with me?"

"No, if you ran away to India, Tony would still be pining for you."

Bruce touched his face and rubbed his eyes. "I'm responsible for my own emotions and Tony is responsible for his."

"Do you like it here?"

"I'm using the lab to improve my beta-blocker, so I can tolerate being in crowded rooms better. I have a syringe on me, sort of an anti-Epi-pen, and Tony has one. Last night, we tested it out. It calmed me down when I was injected and it worked so well that I fell off to sleep. Once I'm able to formulate it for continuous drip, I'll find a situation where I'm needed."

"Does Tony know this?" said the beautiful strawberry blonde that looked at home on this black leather couch.

"I rather be in a cardboard shack in Mexico or Central America than here." As long as he had his hands on his cup, Bruce wouldn't wring his hands. He poured himself more tea, knowing he'll be sorry for the caffeine later. "I'm not used to living in such luxurious surroundings. I feel like a bull in a china shop."

"Are you using Tony for his lab space?"

"No, I adore Tony, possibly love him."

"I know Tony loves you," said Pepper. "Don't break his heart."

"I'm worried about breaking more than his heart. He's so fragile."

"Physically or emotionally?"

Bruce held his cup to keep himself from wringing his hands or touching his face. "Both."

Pepper nodded.

Tony joined them, taking a seat in the loveseat by Bruce and wrapping an arm around him. Then he kissed Bruce on the cheek. "Miss me?"

"Always," said Bruce. "We were talking about you."

"It's a few minutes before six," said Tony. "Our other guests are military men, so they don't know the meaning of the words fashionably late. Jarvis will show them up and I'll greet them and get them drinks."

"Steve takes milk," said Bruce.

"Good because I ate all the yogurt," said Tony.

"You don't even like yogurt," said Pepper.

"I ate some dal off of Bruce's plate. Bad idea. I found out what ghost chilies are the hard way. I would have eaten school paste if Bruce told me it would relieve the burn. I only took one bite and my whole face was on fire. He forced me under the eye wash while he looked for the yogurt."

"Maybe, next time, he won't eat off of other people's plate without asking," said Bruce. "He's lucky I'm not longer treating myself by putting radioactive waste in my food and drinks. I didn't do it long enough to see if I got any results. It's hard to steal radioactive waste from Canadian power plants and then I had three roommates at the time and I couldn't risk exposing them to high levels on radiation."

"Sounds like a bad idea all around," said Pepper.

"After what happened with Loki's spear, I don't think radiation is the way to go," said Bruce.

Jarvis said, "Colonel Rhodes and Captain Rogers are at the door."

After giving Bruce a gentle squeeze, Tony stood. "Let them in."

Rhodey ran in, gave Tony a hug - more of a knock Tony onto the floor glomp. After Rhodey let go of Tony and helped him stand, Tony said, "Rhodey, this is Dr. Bruce Banner, my fiance."

Bruce took out his hand to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you Colonel Rhodes."

"I can't say the same about you." After letting go of Bruce's hand, Rhodey sat beside Pepper. "Tony, you do know he's a man?"

"He sleeps naked, so I've noticed," said Tony.

Bruce blushed.

"Rhodey, I see you met Captain Rogers on your way up to the penthouse," said Tony.

Steve had on his leather bomber jacket, 1940's cut vintage jeans, a white button-down shirt, no tie and nice brown leather shoes. He had a cake box in his hands.

Bruce set the cake box on the table. "Steve, I told you just to bring yourself. You shouldn't have."

Steve blushed. "I couldn't arrive empty-handed."

After standing, Bruce picked up the cake box. "Thanks. I'll take that to the kitchen." He had planned to serve melon for dessert. However, coffee and cake was always a nice way to end a meal. After he put the cake box on the kitchen counter, Bruce walked back to the living room.

"Dr. Banner, I've heard about you," said Colonel James Rhodes. "Are you really Tony's fiance or is the poor man deluded?"

Bruce wring his hands. "He proposed to me after we had sex for the first time. Since we will have to tell the world about our marriage soon after the elopement, the big event is on hold until I have developed the medication I'll need to deal with the stress of having the press asking us questions."

Steve said, "You're joking."

"With Tony, who knows?" Bruce sat down beside Steve since sitting near Rhodey was out of the question. "I'm going to assume he's serious until he tells me otherwise."

Tony still standing said, "I see Pepper and Bruce already helped themselves to tea. Rhodey, Steve, would like something to drink?"

"Coffee," said Steve. "I'm not a big tea drinker."

"Rhodey?" asked Tony.

"I can do tea," said Rhodey. "I drink whiskey with drinkers and do tea with teetotalers. And do coffee when at Starbucks."

Bruce stood. "I'll get you a cup. Do you like milk or cream in your tea?"

"A little milk would be nice," said Rhodey.

Bruce returned to the table with another cup and small pitcher of milk. "How many spoonfuls of sugar?"

"Just the milk," said Rhodey.

Bruce poured Rhodey his tea. Bruce poured more milk then tea in his own cup because he had already drank two cups.

With his tea in hand, Rhodey said, "Tony, I know you and SHIELD think he is safe, but this tower is in the middle of New York."

"I realize that the other guy could cause more damage here that in a fairly unpopulated village, but villagers don't have insurance, so I actually ruin more people's lives should I have an incident in a small village than here where people can simply rebuild," Bruce explained. "You don't think I'm good for Tony."

"I don't think you're good for Manhattan," corrected Rhodey.

Steve said, "I've worked with Dr. Banner and he has it under control. When Loki's spear made everyone in the room angry, Dr. Banner stayed calm far longer than Tony and I. I got into his face and threatened to beat him up and I'm the last person to bully anyone."

"Cap, I forgive you. You weren't yourself." Tony took Bruce's hand in both of his and looked into his brown eyes. "Rhodey, Bruce and I are getting married. I wish you would see the beautiful man that I see when I look at him, but I don't need your approval."

Bruce kissed Tony on the lips then stood. "I need to garnish my soup." And got out of the room.


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Notes: I still don't own the Avengers.

xxxx

Pepper stood. "Do you need my help?"

"You know more about pairing wine with seafood," said Bruce. "Getting the wine and the wine glasses would be a big help."

Pepper followed Bruce into the kitchen. While Bruce took the chilled soup out of the refrigerator and started pouring it into bowls, Pepper took the wine glasses out of the cabinet. Then she took them to the dining room table. Afterward, she watched Bruce put a slice of cucumber, lemon zest and a sprig of parley on top of each bowl of soup before bringing them to the table. Then he put a loaf of crusty bread on the table.

She got the fuller bodied white wine, something that could hold its own against rice with fish broth but not overpower it. With cold soup, she didn't think they needed to chill the wine. One cool liquid didn't deserve another. Since Steve didn't drink and Bruce would probably just nurse a single glass all night, two bottles were more than enough for five people.

She stood back from the table to admire Bruce's artistry. "Don't let Rhodey get to you."

Bruce put a stick of butter and a butter knife near the bread. "I've heard worse."

Pepper took his hand in hers. "I wanted to hate you, but I can't. All the years Tony and I been together, he never proposed marriage to me."

"I need to get Steve's coffee." Bruce started the coffee machine. "Is decaf good? Any more caffeine and I'll need a shot. I don't want to get dependent on the beta-blockers due to the side effects. I'll always need a shot before having sexual relations. Tony beginning to understand that."

"Rhodey being here is my fault; I told him that Tony was shacking up with a male prostitute."

"Rhodey came here to check me out."

"It doesn't surprise me that he has the military clearance needed to know about you," said Pepper. "I'm really sorry I put you on the spot like that."

"You have known Tony a long time. It's natural that you would worry about him." Bruce walked into the living room. "Steve, I just put the coffee on. The soup has been served. We may enter the dining room at any time."

Tony said, "We can talk while eating the soup. Bruce is a fabulous cook." Once they were seated, Tony uncorked the wine then filled everyone's glasses.

Steve said, "I don't drink."

Bruce got up from the table. "Your coffee should be ready. Do you take milk and sugar?"

"Sometimes," said Steve. "I drink it black in the morning."

"I made decaf," said Bruce. "I hope that's alright."

"It will be a new experience for me," said Steve. "I never thought of drinking defanged coffee before. Then some of us need to work in the morning."

Bruce brought out Steve's coffee and the milk and sugar. "You can serve yourself. Anyone else need coffee while I'm still up?"

Pepper said, "I might have some after the meal."

After sitting down on the chair closest to Tony's, Bruce said, "Steve, would you like to say grace?"

"Sure," said Steve. "Thank you, Father, for the meal we are about to partake. Thank you for new friends to share this meal with. In your Son's name, Amen."

"Amen," said everyone but Tony.

"Short and sweet," said Pepper.

"I'm not much for speeches," said Steve.

The conversation was quite civil during dinner. Afterward, Pepper, helping Bruce clear the dining room table of dinner dishes, said, "It went well."

"Colonel Rhodes was staring at me all evening," said Bruce.

"You're imagining things," said Pepper, helping to put the dishes in the dishwasher.

"Not staring," said Bruce, "But he did give me some hostile looks."

"I don't know what he read about you," said Pepper. "But seeing your face after reading General Ross's reports about 'the monster' must be causing Rhodey some cognitive dissidence."

"I'll leave the wine glasses and the bottles on the table, in case, anyone wants wine with their cake." Bruce collected the rest of the dishes from the table then he put the cake on the table. "Everyone thank Steve for the cake." Then he put the coffee pot and more cups on the table. Finally, he sat down and poured himself some decaf coffee.

After the cake, Steve said, "Good night everyone. Thanks for everything."

"You're very welcome," said Bruce.

Steve waved good-bye at the door.

"I can keep you company." Bruce walked Steve over to the elevator. "The tower will be less scary once all the repairs are made and the hallways are crowded with Stark employees and tenants renting lab space."

"I don't mind the empty elevator," said Steve. "You can stay with me until you find a situation if Tony is making you uncomfortable."

"Tony won't come into my room without knocking," said Bruce. "I know it doesn't look like it, but he respects my personal space. He insisted that I cook in the penthouse kitchen, but he didn't force me to move into the penthouse. After being alone for so many years, I enjoy the company."

"He knocks?" Steve asked.

"I didn't knock the day I poisoned him," teased Bruce. "I didn't really poison him. I like spicy food and Tony doesn't. That afternoon, I entered his lab without knocking. I, totally, violated his personal space. To make matters worse, he took a bite of my food without asking. He was crying and sweat was pouring off his face. I felt so bad. "

"I don't get the two men marrying thing," said Steve.

"Gay marriage is legal in New York State," said Bruce. "I've known Tony for little over a week and he proposes marriage to me. He's a billionaire and until recently I was so broke that I bought a vegetable to cook with lunch when I had the money. I'm not talking a fancy dessert like you brought over, a vegetable to go with my beans and rice. I know he spent months in that cave, but while he was in Afghanistan, he knew he was either going to be rescued or die there. He raises money for poor people, but he doesn't understand poverty."

"And that is a problem?"

"He thinks throwing money at me is going to make me change habits I've built up as a poor college student that I continued while I was on the run. There is an old joke: If I was a Rockefeller, I would have more money then the Rockefellers because I would work nights."

Steve smiled.

"He owns a building in Manhattan while I'm still watching my pennies."

The elevator opened.

Steve got into the elevator. "A lot of people would like to have your problem."

Bruce followed. "It isn't that he laughs at me; Tony laughs at everything. And it isn't his problem. I see all the shiny equipment and it overwhelms me. Then again, Pepper came over to yell at Tony about needing to get products on the shelf. So money has its own set of problems."

xxxx

A month passed and the building passed inspection. Tony had a team of engineers working on the reverse engineering the Chitauri technology. The huge government contracts were making Pepper very happy at the moment. With the staff working on the SHIELD contracts, Tony went back to upgrading his suit.

Bruce knocked at the door of Tony's lab.

"Big guy, come in," said Tony. "You don't have to knock."

After entering the lab, Bruce said, "I want you to knock, so I have to knock. I have working pump. Anytime you want a press conference I'm game."

"Pepper scheduled a fund raiser for the victims of the alien attack. All the other Avengers will be there. Even Steve found himself a date for the night. We'll have to have you fitted for a tux."

"You planned this before knowing if the pump would be ready."

"I would have taken Pepper as my date, if you weren't up to attending a benefit." Tony closed the program he was working on. "Now Pepper will have to go with Rhodey. Do you want to get married before or after the benefit?"

"After will be good, so we don't have to rush the wedding." Bruce put a hand on Tony's shoulder. "But before would also be good - I can imagine the shock on people's faces when you introduce the man who gave Thor the Tesseract in Central Park as your husband. When is the benefit?"

"In four days," said Tony. "The waiting period to get married is only 24-hours - plenty of time."

"Since we're eloping, I won't need a shot for the wedding. What are you planning on wearing?"

"I'm planning on wearing jeans and my Black Sabbath tee shirt for the wedding," said Tony. "I suggest you also wear jeans and a tee shirt. We'll save getting you fitted for a tux for afterward."

Bruce kissed Tony. "Sounds good."

"We have to buy rings. Can you promise to take the ring off when Fury asks the Avengers to assemble? I may be a billionaire, but I don't want to have to buy you a new wedding band each time you change into the other guy."

"That's a fair request."


	22. Chapter 22

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers. They belong to Marvel. Snap!

xxxx

After Tony closed the program he was working on, Happy drove them to a jewelry store. The store manager escorted them inside. "Mr. Stark, how may I be of service?"

"This is my fiance, Bruce." Tony looked at the bracelets he still had on his wrists from working on the suit earlier. The last time he went here was for a necklace for Pepper or was it earrings? "We need wedding bands. Simple gold bands will do."

"Hello, Bruce," said the store manager.

"Yes, you're thinking he dumped Pepper for me," said Bruce. "I often wonder the same thing."

Tony put an arm around Bruce. "I have enough ego for both of us."

Bruce looked at his shoes. "That he does."

Tony and Bruce had their fingers sized then Tony picked out simple gold bands. After they were in the car, Tony said, "I should have got the next size bigger. You grow a little and gold is a soft metal. I'm not a superstitious guy, but a broken ring doesn't bode well for the relationship."

"It's just a ring," said Bruce. "If I break it, you can replace it."

Tony took Bruce still ringless hand. "I'm just nervous."

"Are you going to wear your bracelets to the courthouse?" asked Bruce.

"I forget I still had them on until we got to the jewelry store." His metal bracelets made him look more dorky than gay. "Happy has my suitcase should I need the suit. If anyone tries to ruin the happiest day of my life, they will have Ironman to deal with."

Bruce put an arm around Tony and smiled.

At the courthouse, they filled out the paperwork and showed the county clerk their birth certificates and driver's licenses. "Gentleman, you have to get married within 60 days of the license being issued."

"We won't wait that long." Tony squeezed Bruce's hand. "You good?"

Bruce gave Tony a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm great. I'm a bit nervous, but that is to be expected."

"You need to write here if you want a name change," the clerk pointed out.

"No name change," said Tony.

"What is if want to sign my checks as Mrs. Tony Stark?" asked Bruce.

"I'm seriously reconsidering going into this with no prenup," said Tony.

"I'll sign a prenup," said Bruce. "I'm not marrying you for your money."

"Not in front of the clerk. I'll be right back." Tony kissed Bruce on the cheek then walked into the hallway alone. He speed-dialed his lawyer. "I'm getting married tomorrow. I need a prenup written tonight. My future husband's name is Bruce Banner and he owns a toothbrush, a laptop, a metal Buddha and some prayer beads. And the clothes on his back."

The lawyer said, "You're serious?"

"I do not joke about money. All the cooking equipment is also his since I can barely boil water. Any other cooking equipment we get during our marriage belongs to him. He also owns any clothing or jewelry I buy him. He's a Buddhist and I'm an atheist, so all his religious paraphernalia belongs to him - that includes but not limited to his tea set, candles, yoga mat, incense-burners and any prayer books, especially those written in Sanskrit or any other language I can't read."

"You need to give him a car or another big ticket item or your Mr. Banner is going to contest the prenup and you may get stuck giving him 50 percent of your estate."

"Can you write it as any car or cars registered to him?" asked Tony.

"Mr. Banner owns any cars bought during the marriage that were registered in his name," said the lawyer. "You give him a big ticket item and he may not consider it worth going to court and, possibly, getting less. I'll be over tonight with the documents."

"Very good. Jarvis will let you in." After Tony disconnected the call, he walked back into the clerk's office. "The lawyer will be over tonight with the prenup. You can watch me work on the Mark VIII."

After they were back in the house, Tony gave Bruce the hug and kiss that would have been so improper in front of the county clerk. A little spice lingered on Bruce's tongue from the hot sauce he must have ate at lunch. Now that Bruce was done working on the beta-blocker, Bruce would be spending more time with him. Tony could show him the latest Starkphone that Pepper was rushing into production.

xxxx

After dinner, the lawyer arrived with the paperwork. Tony cleared off space on the dining room table then introduced Bruce to the lawyer. The lawyer explained that Mr. Stark brought most of the assets into the marriage and if the marriage should dissolve than Mr. Stark needed to keep his assets intact. He explained what Mr. Banner bought into the marriage and what would be his if he left. Bruce agreed that the prenup was more than fair and signed where he was shown. Tony also signed then the lawyer notarized the agreement.

After packing up his briefcase, the lawyer shook both of the gentlemen's hands and left. "That's over," said Tony. "Let's watch a movie."

"If I leave, I get nothing," said Bruce.

"That is what I agree to give you," said Tony. "You can get more, but not less. For a man that only owns his toothbrush, you get plenty, besides I thought you didn't want my money."

"I don't," said Bruce. "But I don't want to be belittled either."

"Big Guy, if I insulted you, I'm sorry." Tony sat down on the sofa and motioned for Bruce to do the same. "I don't apologize very often because I'm hardly ever wrong, so enjoy the moment. I should have asked you what you wanted out of this marriage before having the lawyer draw up the paperwork."

After joining Tony on the sofa, Bruce put an arm around Tony. "Asking would have been nice."

"Since I'll drop dead from the shrapnel in my chest or because I'm careless with my life because I'm a walking dead man, you'll be a wealthy widow before anyone talks divorce."

Bruce put a finger over Tony's lips then took it off. "Don't talk that way."

Tony wrapped an arm around Bruce and pulled his closer. "Shhh! Let's watch the movie."

xxxx

After some lovemaking, Bruce and Tony took a shower together. While fluffing Tony's hair with a towel, Bruce said, "Don't talk about your impending death. You're going to die in bed after being given amazing head by me."

"That sounds like a plan," said Tony. "Do you always sleep naked?"

"No way," said Bruce. "My patients could need me in the middle of the night. Sometimes, it was too hot for clothes. Well, all the time, except when I was in Canada. I wore a shirt and underwear to bed that way I could throw on some pants if I needed to make a housecall."

"I like that you sleep naked." Tony used the towel to lasso Bruce and pull him close for a hug.

Bruce dried himself off with a bit of help from Tony then he curled under the blanket to go to sleep. "If I tell why I sleep naked, you will laugh."

"I won't." Tony got under the blankets with Bruce. "Maybe, I will. I laugh at a lot of stuff I quote shouldn't."

"That's part of the reason I love you. We share the same sick sense of humor." Bruce wrapped his arms and legs around Tony. "I told myself, if I ever reached a place in my life where I wouldn't have to worry about being woken up by the military or some other goons, I wouldn't need to fall asleep in my sweaty clothing."

"I have air conditioning," said Tony. "You only have to sweat because I make you hot and bothered."

"You keep talking like that and I'll need another shower."

Tony kissed Bruce's cheek. "Go to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow. I love you."

"I love you, too."


	23. Chapter 23

Author's Note: I still don't own the characters. Other than Hannah, who is an original character.

xxxx

The wedding by the justice of the peace was uneventful. After some honeymoon sex, Bruce called Martha. "We tied the knot. Sadie, Sadie, married lady."

"You are so gay," said Martha.

Bruce looked at his wedding ring. "Don't I know it."

"Did you get the invitations?"

"We'll be there. Will Jack be there?"

"Of course, and his current bloke."

"I would love to chat all day, but I need to get fitted for a tux. Tony insisted we get married before showing me off to the world." Bruce continued to look at his ring and smile. "I'll write you an email with all the details."

"You better, girlfriend."

While they were talking a bit longer, Tony kissed Bruce's cheek. "Who are you talking to?"

"Martha," said Bruce. "Tony says hi."

Tony took the phone. "I do not say hi. You, two, need to stop talking, so I can fuck my husband so hard that he can't sit down for a week."

"I need to go to a benefit tomorrow night. I can't be walking funny." Bruce stole the phone back from Tony. "Good-bye, Martha. I'll see you soon."

Tony closed the phone and placed it on the nightstand. Then he embraced Bruce, pushing him down on the bed. "You are so lucky you have an appointment with the tailor." Tony kissed him once. "You get dressed."

"Martha's friend wants me to help distribute birth control in Bangladesh."

"Isn't that a Muslim country?"

"I won't bring any wedding photos." Bruce snapped his fingers. "That's right. We don't have any wedding photos. You can fly me over; that way I don't have go on a commercial airplane."

Tony slapped Bruce's butt. Only Tony would think hitting the Hulk somewhere where he couldn't see the slap coming was a good idea. That was one of many reasons Bruce loved him.

Bruce asked, "What was that for?"

"We just got married and you're leaving me."

"We'll all meet up in London and I'm not going until after the benefit. Martha's friend isn't going to let me skip out on the wedding. I haven't seen our house in Malibu, yet. I haven't been to Cali in like forever, and you ran off to the Middle East without telling me, so you have no talking room."

"That was live and death for the hostages." Tony grabbed Bruce for another kiss then whispered afterward, "Go."

xxxx

Happy drove Pepper, Rhodey, Tony and Bruce to the benefit. Pepper and Rhodey got out of the limo first. A reporter went over and asked as Tony helped Bruce out of the car, "I'm here with Tony Stark. Who is that gentleman on your arm?"

"This in Dr. Bruce Banner. He was one of the scientists SHIELD had consult on the Tesseract," explained Tony. "He's an expert in high level radiation. He's very shy and all his work is very top secret. I'll talk more later. He won't be talking to anyone."

"We were hoping to see you with one of the Avengers," said the woman.

"Sorry," said Tony. "I'm more into boring scientists. You wait around and Captain America should be here once he gets his new girlfriend out of the house."

"Does he have a new girlfriend?" asked the reporter.

"His old girlfriend must be ninety-something," commented Tony. "And Captain America would never be late unless his girlfriend was dawdling. I haven't met the woman, but she must have the patience of a saint."

Pepper was asked more questions than Tony and no one saw Bruce, except that first reporter, so they got through the red carpet with only some pictures being snapped. Natasha and Clint were already seated at their table. A young photographer from the Daily Bugle took some pictures as Steve and his lady friend were, finally, seated.

Steve said, "This is Hannah. Sorry, we're late. She couldn't find her keys."

"Then I needed to find the right lipstick," said Hannah. "Steve so doesn't understand the concept of being fashionably late."

"I was fashionably late," said Tony. "You were just late. I'm Tony Stark and the man doing his best to be invisible is my husband, Bruce Banner."

"I've been to dinners before," said Bruce. "I've attended my share of award banquets and eaten enough rubber chicken for a lifetime. Just none of them had been black tie events."

Tony said, "Only way you get most scientist nerds into a tux is by promising them a Noble Prize and they still complain."

Bruce pulled at his collar. "We got married in our jeans and tee shirts."

"When did this happen?" asked Natasha.

"The wedding was yesterday," said Bruce.

"Then he calls Martha and gets a position in Bangladesh of all places," said Tony. "He's leaving first thing tomorrow."

"Her friend needs a token male to run interference with these Muslim storekeepers that won't speak to a foreign lady," said Bruce. "I won't be speaking to the women coming in for birth control. I'll be doing the hundred and one other things that need to be done to keep a small makeshift clinic running."

"Sounds like fun," said Hannah.

"I get to run around in the hot humid weather in my long-sleeve shirt and, possibly, a jacket, sweating like a pig," said Bruce. "Fun."

Natasha said, "He loves it. I had to drag him kicking and screaming from India."

"I didn't kick and I only screamed once," said Bruce.

"Like a girly, I bet," said Hannah.

"He only screams like a girly for me." Tony took one of Bruce's hands and kissed his cheek.

"A proper kiss," said Natasha. "You just got married yesterday."

Tony pushed Bruce's curls off his face then kissed him on the lips while Natasha and Clint hooted and Steve hid his face in his hands. A few flashes went off while Tony's and Bruce's lips were still locked. Finally, Tony got up for air. "Show over. I'll be taking questions after the benefit. Now let's raise some money for the victims of the Chitauri attack."

Hannah said, "I get to sit with the Avengers. How cool is that?"

"What am I? Chopped Liver?" asked Rhodey.

Hannah said, "I don't know who you are, but you're very cool, too."

"I'm Colonel James Rhodes." Rhodes smiled at the lady. "But you can call me Rhodey. I'm the only person other than Tony that can operator his body armor."

"And for the record, I didn't let you fly in my suit," said Tony. "You stole it while I was drunk."

"Bruce, Tony doesn't let you use his armor?" said Hannah. "You look about his size."

"Broader shoulders." Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "My butt is also too big. His armor is very form-fitting."

"I like your butt," said Tony.

"It's still beet-red from when you hit it," said Bruce.

"You were wiggling it in my face," said Tony. "I had to give it a love tap."

Steve had stopped covering his eyes and was now holding his hands over his ears. "In my day, two men didn't get married."

Hannah took Steve's hand. "Gay marriage is legal in New York. You just have to move with the times."

"Are they going to be like this all evening?" asked Steve.

"I'm afraid so," said Natasha. "You know how Tony is."

"Bruce is so calm that he should balance him out," said Steve.

"Nah," said Clint. "Tony and Bruce play off each other."

Pepper said, "Hannah, would you like to join me in the little girls' room?"

Steve squeezed Hannah's hand. "Go. I think Rhodey and Tony want to talk to me about superhero stuff."

"What about Bruce?" asked Hannah. "He isn't a superhero."

"We wouldn't have needed any superheros if my timing was better," explained Bruce. "Since Erik Selvig was compromised by Loki, I was brought in to locate the Tesseract. However, I located the signal just as the ship was attacked."

Hannah kissed his cheek. "I think you're cute for a gay nerd."

"Thanks." Bruce took a sip of his ice water.

Pepper got up and Hannah followed her to the ladies room.

Clint said, "What Tony and Bruce do in the bedroom isn't anymore your business than what Nat and I do in the bedroom. They have the same right to kiss in public as a straight couple. Steve, grow up."

"What you and Nat do in the bedroom isn't putting all of New York City at risk," said Rhodey.

"Bruce takes medication," said Tony. "And what we do in the bedroom isn't your business either, Rhodey. You had your chance."

"I was drunk," said Rhodey.

"So was I," said Tony.

"You and Rhodey?" said Pepper.

"It was once," said Tony. "I've been with plenty of men and women - then you know that. Now that I'm married all my love goes to the Big Guy."

"Because the Big Guy will rip off your balls if you cheat on me." Bruce smiled, which didn't lessen the threat, or turn it into a joke since his smile was too reminiscent of the Hulk's smile, which was Bruce's intent.

Tony swallowed hard. "I'll remember that."

Bruce took Tony's hand. "I'll remind you."

"Does that mean I'm suppose to go without while you're in Bangladesh?"

"I'm going without."

"You went without for over a decade," said Tony. "I'm used to having sex on a regular basis."

"You get too horny and you can fly over to see me," said Bruce. "You'll figure something out. You're a smart man."

Steve said, "I really don't need to hear this."

Clint said, "I think you do."

After getting back from the bathroom, Hannah sat down beside Steve.

Steve said, "We didn't talk superhero stuff."

"I explained to Steve that Tony and Bruce are a couple like Nat and I and deserve the same respect," said Clint. "We also learned that the Colonel did Tony before _Don't ask, Don't tell_ was appealed."

Rhodey said, "I never said when the alleged event happened."

Clint said, "You both admitted to it, so there is nothing alleged about it."

xxxx

Author's Note: I eloped with an atheist many years ago. It was just my then husband, the judge, the judge's secretary and me at the wedding. No vows. The judge asked us if we had ring(s). Since we didn't, I took my engagement ring off and let my husband put it back on my finger. It sounds more romantic than it was. I only know about eloping in Pennsylvania. I could fake New York, but I'll leave that to your imaginations.


	24. Chapter 24

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers. Marvel does. However, Hannah, an original character, is mine.

xxxx

After dinner, Tony got up to speak. "I hope you donated all you can to help the victims of the Chituari attack. Tonight is for them and their families. Captain America is in the audience tonight. So is Black Widow and Hawkeye. Thor is still in Asgard. And since the Hulk runs around in torn trousers or less, I don't think black tie is his thing."

The crowd laughed.

"I'm Ironman for anyone who has been living under a rock for the last six years," said Tony.

More laughs.

"This night is for the victims and their families. We should give a moment of silence in the memory of all the people that lost their lives that day." Tony bowed his head for a minute. Then he raised his head to look out at the audience, again. "Since this is a party, I have some good news to announce. Yesterday, I eloped. I took Bruce Banner to be my husband. Bruce, honey, you may stand."

Bruce stood at his table.

"He's very shy. Any questions you may have direct to me."

Bruce sat down.

"We eloped because Bruce wanted a small wedding and a person in my position needs to disappoint everyone or no one. Bruce is going away on business tomorrow, so Ms. Potts and I will see that the money goes to the families that need it the most. Pepper, you may stand."

Pepper stood.

"Ms. Potts is my CEO of Stark Industries and owns 12 percent of the company. She is my right hand woman. My company wouldn't exist without her. You may clap."

The audience applauded.

While Tony was still talking, the young photographer from the Daily Bugle whispered something to Bruce and a split-second later Rhodey had a tight grip on the boy. Tony knew the kid - Peter Parker - the kid that was stopping criminals, wearing a spandex costume. Jarvis had recorded him catching a rapist and mugger or something outside of Stark Tower.

"I've bored you enough. Tonight is for the victims and their families. Thanks, again." Dropping the mike in his haste, Tony ran over to his table. "What's going on?"

"He showed me a picture," whispered Bruce, "and said he knows who I am."

Tony got into Peter's face and said in a soft voice, "Two can play that game, Spider Brat." That boy could talk. Peter talked to criminals he caught in webbing and he talked to himself. Tony didn't even need voice recognition software to know Spidey was Peter Parker, the only white teenage boy freelancing for the Daily Bugle. Parker taking his own pictures of Spidey had said it all.

"Got it," Peter whispered back.

"What just happened?" asked Hannah.

"You're better off not knowing," said Steve.

"Did Tony just threaten a high school student?" asked Hannah.

Parker took his camera and slowly backed away from the table.

"Bruce, would you like to go outside?" asked Steve.

"Sure," said Bruce. "I'd like to stay to enjoy your party, but I need some fresh air."

"Is it OK, if Hannah knows?" asked Steve.

Bruce nodded.

Steve said, "Hannah, you must promise not to tell anyone."

"I'm not good at keeping secrets. You and Bruce get some fresh air without me," said Hannah. "Pepper and I can have some girl talk."

Steve took Bruce's arm and escorted him out of the ball room then out a side door of the hotel. "You OK?" asked Steve.

After loosening his cummerbund, Bruce fingered the pump just above his waist. "I'm afraid, if I pull this thing out, I'll change, as fast as I did when I told you 'I'm always angry.'"

"Are you angry now?" Steve asked.

"No." Bruce giggled a bit. "This medicine is keeping me calm and a bit too happy. I just finished working on it. I tested it in the lab, but that's a controlled environment."

"I wish I knew a place where the buildings were set for demolition. Then if you smash them, no harm - no foul."

"I can look something up on Happy's GPS. But I would hate to ruin a brand new tux and I promised I would take off my wedding ring before changing." Bruce called Happy. "I need you to bring the car around and I need the jeans we packed just in case."

"I'll be right there, Sir," said Happy.

After Happy came around, Bruce told Steve. "Go back inside. Your date needs you. Happy can handle things."

"Are you sure?" asked Steve.

"Go," said Happy.

Steve waved good-bye to Bruce and Happy then went back inside the hotel. Bruce climbed into the limo and changed out of his tux and into the jeans. Soon he was barefoot and shirtless, only wearing a pair of stonewashed jeans.

"Happy, thanks," said Bruce. "Once I remove the drip, I may change. A vacant lot or a building set for demolition would be good right about now."

"Should I get Ms. Potts or Mr. Stark?" asked Happy.

"It's Tony's party." After thinking a second, Bruce used his cell phone. "Pepper, Happy has the car outside. I need you to calm the other guy. Don't run and don't upset him. Betty says hugs work. You can sing, too. Do you know any lullabies?"

"Lullabies?" said Pepper.

"Tony and I didn't think about what would happen once I removed the drip," said Bruce.

xxxx

After getting the cellphone call, Pepper whispered to Rhodey. "Give Tony one dance for Bruce and me. I have to go."

Rhodey nodded.

Pepper kissed Rhodey. "Thanks. Just one dance. I'm sure lots of men and women will be lining up to dance with Tony now that he announced that he goes both ways." Pepper saw that Tony already had drink in hand and was flirting with the donors. "You may not get that dance."

Rhodey looked relieved.

Since Tony was never faithful to her, the public wouldn't expect Tony to be faithful to his new husband. Once a playboy, always a playboy. Tony was good at mingling. Waving one last time to Rhodey, Pepper grabbed her clutch, ran outside and rushed into the awaiting limo.

Bruce slipped off his ring. "Tony feels a broken wedding ring is bad karma."

Pepper put it in her purse. "What did Parker say?"

"It wasn't what he said," said Bruce, putting his cellphone on top of the tux. "He showed me a picture of myself with green tint."

"He may have been phishing and Rhodey confirmed his suspicions when he grabbed the boy," said Pepper.

"If Parker prints his suspicions, Tony will need to do damage control," Bruce said, "And I'll never be able to treat patients, again."

"Parker is Spiderman," said Pepper. "Tony and I were laughing at him taking pictures of himself for the Daily Bugle."

"Then he doesn't want his secrets spilled either," said Bruce. "I feel a bit better now."

"Then you can get back in your tux and we can go back to the party," said Pepper. "People are going to wonder why Tony's new husband left then his CEO left."

"No, they won't. He told everyone I'm leaving for business tomorrow morning." Bruce folded his hands on his lap. "So we need to discuss some last minute details. No one is going to think I go both ways. Your reputation is safe."

"You and Betty?" said Pepper.

"I've known her since she was a freshman and I was a junior. Our relationship was one of those things. We never lived together. She even saw Glenn Talbot part of that time. I loved Betty or thought I did. Martha teased me about wanting to go to the party. Maybe, I wanted to go to the party with Betty. If I was really crazy in love with her, I would have found ways to contact her more than once in ten years."

"You sound a lot calmer," said Pepper. "We can go back."

"We go back and people will think we're having an affair," teased Bruce. "Either you go back or I go back."

Pepper took Bruce's hand. "Neither then."

Happy drove to a vacant lot with a few boarded-up buildings near by. Pepper left her purse in the limo but took her cell phone. "I'll call you."

"I'm going to pull the pump off my body," Bruce warned. "The change should be instant."

Pepper followed Bruce to the dark field. She was scared but she didn't want Bruce knowing how scared she was. She needed to be brave for him. Being brave was feeling the fear and doing the right thing anyway. She could hug the Hulk and sing him lullabies. She, helplessly, watched as Bruce ripped the beta-blocker pump off his body then instantly started growing. tearing his jeans in the process.

In the dark, what she really noticed was how big and muscular Bruce got. The Hulk roared like an enraged beast. The grays and blacks of the poor lighting made the green almost subdued. Since the creature was running away from her, she never saw its face.

Seeing the Hulk ripping the boards off the vacant building like they were toothpicks. Pepper, not knowing what else to do, called Tony. "Bruce told me to calm the Hulk down, but he ran away from me. I want to contain the damage and running after him will only make him run further. Happy can give you the location."

"Keep an eye on him until I get there," said Tony.

"I'll do my best," said Pepper.

Pepper didn't know where the Hulk was. Then she heard a roar from inside one of the boarded-up buildings. She watched from a safe distance as The Hulk began turning a former office building into a pile of rumble.

Finally, about two minutes later, Tony flew in.


	25. Chapter 25

Author's Note: I tend to write stories that take the over one year without an incident to heart, so I tend not to have many Hulk scenes. But here is one. I hope you enjoy it. By the way, I still don't own the Avengers.

xxxx

Tony lifted up his mask as he landed near the Hulk. "Hi, Big Guy."

Hulk stopped smashing and looked at Tony. Then he smiled. "Hulk catch Metal Man."

"Metal Man is very thankful." Tony smiled up at the Hulk, seeing Bruce's features in the big green man. "Good catch, by the way."

The Hulk just smiled at him.

"It looks like I have to do the talking," said Tony. "I'm told I talk enough for twenty people."

The Hulk grunted.

"Everyone is a critic," said Tony. "I'd like to talk to Bruce, if that isn't a problem."

"Bruce not home. Leave message," said the Hulk.

Tony wrapped his arms around the Hulk to hug him, remembering what Betty told him. "You a funny guy, too. When Bruce comes home, you tell him that the metal man loves him." Tony continued to hold onto the Hulk until he got smaller in his arms then he continued to embrace Bruce in a bear hug.

"I'm sorry," said Bruce.

"Nothing to be sorry about," said Tony. "I'm going to give that Parker kid what for."

"Don't." Bruce held his ripped jeans up with one hand.

"He upset you," said Tony.

"The drip has a problem," said Bruce.

Tony stopped hugging Bruce. "You think?"

"When I stop the drip, adrenaline floods my body," said Bruce. "So using it is pretty much instant other guy."

"That isn't a problem,' said Tony. "I can build you a room in the Tower and another room in Malibu. You saved these guys a shitload of money in explosives."

Looking at the damaged building, Bruce smiled. "A few beams are still standing."

After Bruce was clear of the building, Tony took the last beams out with his laser. "They should pay us the demolition fee."

Slowly walking over to Pepper, still holding his pants up, Bruce gave a small smile. "Can I have my wedding ring back?"

"It's in the limo," said Pepper.

"Pepper, call Happy for a ride," said Tony. "I'll meet you two back at the Tower."

xxxx

Pepper handed Bruce the wedding ring and he slipped it on his finger. Then Bruce folded the tux and put in on his lap.

Bruce said, "That wedding ring should have been yours."

"Tony needs someone to care for," said Pepper. "I was too busy caring for his needs to see that. Tony and I are still friends. It's easier this way."

"The easy choices, sometimes, aren't the right ones." Bruce looked at his ring. "You can still go back to the party."

Pepper rubbed some of the dirt off her face. "Not without a bath."

Pepper waited in the living room of the penthouse while Bruce took a shower then changed into jeans and a tee shirt. No shoes. "Tony must have gone back to the party," said Pepper. "Or he's working on his suit."

"Or he is reinforcing a room, so I have somewhere to go after I use my drip," said Bruce. "When I tested it in the lab, I didn't flood my body with adrenaline that would have nowhere to go once I stopped using the beta-blockers. I should had taken that into consideration."

"You can't think of everything."

"That's a pretty big oversight." Bruce put his tux in his room, ready to be used, again. Although most of his clothes were in the master bedroom, he considered the yoga room to be his private little corner of the penthouse. "I should pack for tomorrow. My laptop, my prayer beads and as much clothes as I can squeeze into my backpack."

"And your Buddha."

Bruce smiled. "The Buddha will make me think of shopping with Tony. You should have seen the look on his face while I was checking price tags."

Pepper also smiled. "I can imagine."

xxxx

Pepper watched as Bruce put three sets of clothes then the Buddha and the laptop in his backpack. Bruce wrapped his coffee mug inside his clothes, so it wouldn't break on the journey. The prayer beads went in the front pocket. "Shirts, pants, socks and underwear for three days. That's all?"

"You be surprised how much many times I've treated patients in borrowed clothes and no shoes," said Bruce.

"Here you are with all your problems and you're going halfway around the world to treat strangers. No wonder Tony loves you."

"I didn't get to hear you sing a lullaby."

Pepper sat on the sofa. After Bruce was lying against her, she sang, "Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li." She was still singing when she notice that Bruce had fallen asleep on her lap.

Tony came in the door. "Honey, I'm home."

"Shh," whispered Pepper. "He's asleep."

"I put you through so much and you're still by my side," said Tony.

Pepper grinned. "I'm a sucker for punishment and you pay well."

Tony walked over to the bar. "Would you like a drink?"

Pepper touched Bruce's still wet curls. "You better make it a double."

"It's enough that you babysit me." Tony poured her scotch first and handed it to her. "You don't have to babysit my husband."

One hand was combing through Bruce's curly hair while the other was holding her scotch. Then everyone looked innocent while sleeping. "I'm never doing that, again."

"I'll have a room set up for him next time," said Tony. "Until that Parker kid got in his face, I think he was enjoying the party."

"It isn't fair to him," said Pepper. "He shouldn't have to go through all this just because you want him hanging off your arm all evening."

"He worked over a month to create the medicine necessary for him to attend a function without fear of changing into the Hulk." Tony downed his own scotch then poured himself another shot. "No one forces Bruce to do anything against his will. Come on. He changes into a huge rage monster."

Pepper downed her scotch in three gulps. "Yes, I get all that."

"Then you know Bruce wanted to be there," said Tony. "Back when he was a professor, he attended conferences and conventions. I don't know if he will want to attend another charity dinner, but now he knows he can."


	26. Chapter 26

Author's Note: I don't own the Avengers. Sandy is another original character.

xxxx

The following morning, Bruce woke up in the bed he shared with Tony, still wearing the clothes he fell asleep in. He put a button-down shirt on over the tee shirt then a jacket. Then he put on a pair of dress socks and his favorite (only) loafers. "I'm ready to go."

"What about packing?" asked Tony.

"Didn't Pepper tell you? I packed last night." Bruce put his toothbrush and solid deodorant into the pocket with the prayer beads. "All set."

"Bacteria don't like you, so your teeth don't rot and your armpits don't smell."

"Food does get trapped in my teeth and I sweat as much as anyone else."

"But it doesn't smell."

"I sweat and, even if I didn't, I would pack it to keep up appearances."

"Did you use deodorant when you were saving pennies to buy a potato or a cauliflower?"

"Of course not."

"Then it's a luxury."

"I lived alone in India. I don't know what my living arrangements will be in Bangladesh. You have money to burn and you are talking about my deodorant."

"I deal with space limitations with my suit. You keep what you can't live without and everything else stays on the drawing board. You can use the backpack space for something you actually need." Tony explained. "Rhodey has a cannon on his right shoulder when the pulsars will shot down almost anything. It throws the Mark IV off balance and it is overkill."

Bruce's knowledge of military weapons was a thing shot the Hulk, which usually led to the Hulk destroying said thing and killing the soliders firing it, but that didn't mean Bruce's new husband had to belittle him by saying a cannon when Tony knew the specifications. "Then what would you pack?"

"Snacks," said Tony. "Something useful."

"The deodorant stays."

"You'll want the snacks. No one may have blueberries for you to mooch off of."

Bruce stuck his tongue out.

"No sticking it out unless you plan to use it."

"Sorry, but we have a plane to catch. I'll owe you."

xxxx

Since it was a private plane, Bruce didn't own Tony for long and went down on him inflight. Afterward, Tony said, "I'm going have to visit because I'm going to so miss your amazing tongue."

"No other reason?" Bruce batted his eyelashes.

"Your smile, your brown eyes, That behind of yours."

"You are so beautiful," said Bruce. "Especially when you go to a news conference with helmet hair."

Tony pushed down his hair. "I make it look good."

xxxx

Sandy met Bruce at the small private airport with a hug. "Curly hair. Medium build, no scars and doesn't look gay."

Bruce gave Tony a good-bye kiss on the cheek. "You promise to visit."

"I'll use the GPS to find you, even if you get so busy that you forget to call," said Tony.

"Talking about GPS. We're going to need a jeep then a boat to get where we're going," said Sandy. "Martha say you crossed Mexico and Central America by foot so are used to roughing it on rugged terrain."

Bruce nodded.

"Martha walked across the world once or so she claims since no one else can remember it," said Sandy.

"The children that I vaccinated only remember me as some American doctor," said Bruce. "But I'm here to help people, not to be remembered."

"People are going to know you as Mr. Stark's husband," said Sandy.

"Not really," said Bruce. "I don't know what Elton John's husband looks like and Sir Elton is much more famous than my husband."

"He is not," said Tony.

Bruce gave Tony a hug and a brief kiss. "Be good."

"Never," said Tony. "Honey, I'll see you soon."

Bruce followed her to the jeep and jumped on board.

Sandy said, "You better have nothing breakable in that backpack."

"I have my laptop and coffee mug, but they're well-cushioned."

xxxx

A month nearly went by before, Tony visited. All the villagers ran over to see Ironman. After getting out of his suit, Tony signed autographs. Placing an arm around Bruce, Tony kissed him on the cheek. "You educating women about reproductive health?"

"Sandy is, but I keep all the computer records and go to town for supplies," said Bruce.

"And he cooks," said Sandy.

"I proposed to him after he made me dinner for the first time," said Tony.

"I would love for him to stay on after Martha and Mickey's wedding," said Sandy.

"Bruce doesn't stay put for very long," said Tony. "I had to put a tracking device on him."

"I'm not a puppy dog," said Bruce.

"Your phone," said Tony. "I put one on you and one of my enemies could find you and make you a hostage. I already went through that with Pepper. I want you safe."

"I never know when he is serious or joking then everything is a joke to him." Bruce invited Tony into the hut.

Tony sat on Bruce's bed.

"Don't worry," said Sandy. "We have our own beds."

"Bruce doesn't see women that way," said Tony. "You can undress in front of him and he wouldn't notice."

"I freaked the first time he changed his clothes in front of me," said Sandy. "I didn't expect someone married to the Tony Stark to be so laid-back."

"When we met, Tony tried to rattle my calm," said Bruce.

"I couldn't," said Tony.

"He chants over his prayer beads for hours," said Sandy. "Then you know that."

"I'm an atheist," said Tony. "When I teased him about the Dalia Lama, he told me I went too far."

"Some things aren't a joke," said Bruce.

Sandy said, "What did you say?"

"I can't tell you," said Tony.

Bruce said, "It was offensive."

Tony walked over to Sandy and said, "I'll tell you sometime when Bruce isn't listening."

"Like that is going to happen?" said Sandy. "I think he can hear everything that is going on even when he's chanting."

Bruce winked at her. "Part of my mind can and does."

"Does he mean to be creepy?" asked Sandy.

"He comes by it naturally." Tony recalled Bruce saying he used the alias Gomez because of Gomez Addams. "He told the contractors working on my building that he was Gomez."

Sandy was must have been too young to get the reference.

Bruce started walking outside to make dinner. "Now you can talk about me and I won't have to pretend I don't hear you."

Tony ran outside. "Where is the fun in that?"

After dinner, Bruce said, "You can stay the night. I can sleep on the floor."

"I can't put you out." Tony gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Sandy, I'd like some alone time with Mrs. Stark."

Sandy left the hut.

"Honey, you can check my hands or I can wear gloves." Tony gave Bruce his hands.

Bruce looked over Tony's fingers. "I love you." Then Bruce kissed Tony's knuckles. "Your skin is broken in a few places. You can wear gloves or I can give you a blowjob."

"I'm not going to become another Blonsky over a papercut," said Tony.

"We don't know that. You have cuts and if my rectum tears - I don't want to think about it. Please, we're talking about your safety. "

"Abraham Erskine had said the serum makes you more you," explained Tony. "You always had a problem with adrenaline. Dr. Stern's brain got bigger and more powerful. And Blonsky was always a monster. When I'm dying, I'll look into that option, but not now. You can give me a blowjob. On your knees, bitch."

After kneeling down, Bruce unzipped then pulled down Tony's jeans. Then Bruce pulled down Tony's boxer shorts, remembering what he did in this alley in Vancouver, As he sucked on Tony's dick, he failed at maintaining his calm and started crying.

Tony started patting Bruce's head and whispered, "Don't cry. I was joking. Please, don't cry."

Bruce stopped the tears and focused on pleasing his husband. This was his husband. This wasn't a john - a stranger that could hurt him, making the other guy hurt people. He pushed Tony's dick out of his mouth and started licking it. No cuts on Bruce's mouth or Tony's dick making chance of blood-to-blood contact minimal. Feeling a bit better, he sucked on Tony's dick until Tony came.

"I love you," Bruce cried, pulling Tony's shorts up.

Tony kissed the top of Bruce's head. "I would never infect myself on purpose. I would be the third person infected by you and that is so not me. I'm an original. I'm not a follower."

"Never even suggest such a thing," said Bruce.

"The trouble is I know the option is there." Tony redid his own jeans.

Still on his knees, Bruce looked up at Tony. "What bothers me more is I would bleed on you to save your life."

There was a knock on the door. After Bruce let her in, Sandy said, "I'm sorry. I overheard a little. Are you infectious?"

"Only blood-to-blood contact," said Bruce. "You see the patients. I do the paperwork. So it shouldn't be a problem."

"I guess not." Sandy sat on her bed. "How could bleeding on someone save a life?"

"You don't want to know," said Bruce.

Sandy said, "You look healthy."

"We'll talk after Tony leaves." Bruce didn't know what he could say to Sandy, but he now had time to figure something out. "I haven't seen my husband in a month."

Sandy went outside, again.

Hugging Bruce, Tony said, "Thanks for the dinner and the blowjob. I know you wouldn't mind sleeping on the floor, but I would feel bad."

"Stay," said Bruce. "I know it's just a cot, but neither of us is Thor. We could both fit. I shared a dorm bed with Betty plenty of times."

"And if a patient walks in to see two men sharing a bed?" asked Tony.

"You're my husband," said Bruce. "They know I'm gay. They all joke about the fact that I rather look at a computer monitor than a naked woman."

"Because you change into the other guy, you rather look at a blank computer monitor than porn to avoid sexual arousal."

"I just gave you a blowjob."

"And you didn't need a shot because you didn't get aroused. I like that you want to please me and you do. I just want you to be happy, too."

Bruce touched Tony's face. "I'm very happy you came to see me. I get to wrap my body around yours tonight. What more could I want?"

Tony put a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "I wish I could give you more."

As he touched Tony's well-groomed facial hair, Bruce started crying, tears of joy. A man who could have anyone on the planet - movie stars, athletes, models - married him - a monster. "You give me too much as it is."


	27. Chapter 27

Author's Note: Tony and Bruce belong to Marvel, Captain Jack belongs to BBC and Sandy is an original character. The disclaimers are out of the way. On to the story.

xxxx

Tony agreed to share the cot. Cuddling Bruce while they were both dressed in a hot humid hut with the AC pointed at the computers was not very comfortable, but he wouldn't let Bruce sleep on the floor or outside. After a month alone, Tony enjoyed Bruce's wrapping himself around him no matter what the conditions. In his sleep, Bruce's arms and legs went around Tony like he was clinging on for dear life.

The heat made sleep impossible. Tony closed his eyes and enjoyed feeling his husband clinging to him in the very small bed. Tony wrapped his arms around Bruce. Once something was said it couldn't be unsaid. Would he rather be some green thing or would be rather be dead? He told Bruce that Bruce's life matters - that the Hulk saved him for a reason. If he rather be dead than have Bruce bleed on him to save his life, was he being a hypocrite?

By now, Tony didn't know if the heat or his own thoughts were keeping him up. He hated Muslim countries. No easy access to alcohol. The some natives drank behind closed doors, but that wasn't something they would admit to foreigners. He so needed a drink right now. Bruce didn't drink and Sandy wouldn't bring booze to a Muslim country.

Tony watched the alarm clock click away the minutes. As much as Tony wanted to get up to move around, he didn't want to wake Bruce. When the clock clicked five in the morning, Tony got up without waking Bruce although he did stir a bit when Tony gently moved Bruce's clinging body parts to free himself.

Sandy got up soon after. "I didn't want to wake you."

"I couldn't sleep," admitted Tony.

"I didn't hear the whole thing, but you and Bruce appeared to be having words last night," said Sandy. "Bruce's blood condition is why someone with his education and experience isn't working in a state-of-the-art hospital or a major university."

Tony just nodded.

"I know it isn't for you to say," said Sandy. "I'm real sorry about overhearing."

"Ben Franklin said a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Tony started making coffee. "So Bruce will have to tell you enough to satisfy your curiosity, but that is his job."

Bruce woke while they were drinking coffee and got his own mug of coffee. "Good morning."

"You said you would talk after Tony left, but you might want to hold Tony's hand while you tell me about your blood condition," said Sandy.

Sitting down on the cot beside Tony, Bruce took Tony's hand with the hand not holding the mug. "You promise not to freak out? And don't tell the patients or no one will come near this hut ever."

"That bad," said Sandy.

"Worse," said Bruce.

"Well?" said Sandy.

"My blood is a powerful mutagen," said Bruce. "The two people infected with my blood turned into horrific monsters."

"So you're Typhoid Mary." Sandy held her mug in her hands.

"Certainly not," said Bruce. "My blood has been infectious for over a decade and the two people that became infected weren't in contact with me when they became infected. One had my blood because I was shipping it to him for him to help me find a cure and the other went to the first person to become infected on purpose. Since learning about the infectious properties of my blood, I have been very careful."

"Bruce is very careful," Tony said. "No sex without gloves and condoms. When he told me, he was sure I would run away. He spend many years alone because of his condition."

"How much blood does it take to cause someone to mutate?" asked Sandy.

"We don't know," said Bruce. "I could infect mice and see how much blood it takes to make them monster mice, but I have better things to do with my time."

"Does this condition harm you?" asked Sandy.

"Not harm." Bruce laughed. "Having radioactive mutagenic blood means bacteria and viruses don't affect me. Harm no."

"I won't tell our patients, besides I would have to explain what a mutagen is and I don't know if my Bengali is that good." Sandy returned to drinking her coffee. "Tony, patients will be coming in soon. You can either help or get out of the way."

Tony said, "Get out of the way."

Later that morning, after kissing Bruce good-bye, Tony went outside with his suitcase. After the suit molded itself to his body, Tony waved a final good-bye and flew back to New York.

xxxx

"Having mutagenic blood doesn't harm you?" Sandy asked after Tony vanished from sight.

"Doesn't harm me," Bruce clarified, keeping his calm. He wasn't about to tell her that he was the Hulk. He harmed other people. The Hulk had killed, but his radioactive mutagenic blood was a result of his condition - a symptom of a larger problem and not a condition in itself. The first client of the day arrived, followed by others. Bruce, good at languages, was picking up a bit of Bengali, but he rather stay in the background and pretend he didn't understand a word that was being said.

On the plane to Heathrow, Bruce sat by Sandy and meditated holding his prayer beads and chanting over each one. The injection only worked when given while changing and the pump, which would work the whole flight, could cause him to change into the Hulk when removed. Thus, he was on his own for the flight. His hands went in a circle over each bead. No plane - just him and eternity.

Sandy tapped his shoulder. "We landed."

"Good," said Bruce.

"You did it," said Sandy. "You blocked out the world this time."

Bruce got his bag from the overhead bin and left the plane. He was expecting Tony to greet him just outside security when this man with boyish good looks complete with dimples, wearing of all things a World War II greatcoat, greeted him. He had on suspenders (braces), but his hair had a modern cut.

"Bruce, it has been too long," the man said hugging him.

"Do I know you?" asked Bruce.

"Jack Harkness," said the man, disheartened. "Captain Jack."

"Martha told me about you." Bruce hadn't expected Jack to have an American accent. He had assumed from Martha talking about him that he was British.

Jack took a step back and looked Bruce over while still touching him. "My bad. My past is your future."

"When do we meet?" asked Bruce.

"The doctor would say spoilers," said Jack.

"Then I should stop trying to kill myself because I, obviously, don't succeed. I'm human when we meet. That's good."

"What else would you be?"

Bruce gave Jack a look.

"I've been called kinky, but I don't do nine-foot tall green people." Jack winked at Bruce. "Unless they ask real nicely." Jack hugged Bruce, again. "It is so good to see you, again."

Bruce showed Jack his ring. "I'm married now."

"Tony?" asked Jack.

"I marry, again?" asked Bruce.

"Spoilers." Jack turned Bruce around a bit. "Look at you. So young. God, it's good to see you. This is why the Doctor broke my vortex manipulator. I'm a second away from causing a time paradox."

Bruce smiled. "Second. Time joke."

Tony, finally, walked over to them. "Bruce, introduce us."

"This is Jack," said Bruce. "My future lover. He doesn't want to spoil my future his past by telling me more."

Tony held out his hand. "Jack?"

Jack shook Tony's hand. "Captain Jack Harkness."

"Did you serve in World War II?" asked Tony.

"Twice," said Jack. "The joy of time travel."

"Let's go," said Tony.

Jack smiled. "Bruce, I'll see you at the wedding."

Bruce waved to him as Jack walked away. Jack waved back and smiled some more. Bruce, finally, spoke. "Everything Martha said about him is true."

"How far in the future?" asked Tony.

"A hundred years from now? Two hundred years?" said Bruce. "Twenty years from now? From him confirming my spouse's name, I assume I marry, at least, once more before I see him in the future. It could be several times. He didn't tell me."

"No more guns," said Tony. "He could be lying to keep you around. Martha could have put him up to it, but you have to stay around to find out."

"Jack told Martha I was the Hulk," said Bruce. "She said when I met her that Jack talked about me once or twice."

"We have a honeymoon to catch up on." Tony hugged Bruce lifting him up for a second. "How did you manage to gain weight in Bangladesh?"

Bruce shrugged his shoulders. "Filing paperwork doesn't burn many calories."

"I won't be carrying you over the threshold when we get to Malibu."

Bruce put a hand on his hip. "You calling me fat?"

"No, you look good," said Tony. "You may have bit more muscle. Not fat, never fat. How was the plane flight?"

"I focused on my beads," said Bruce. "Have you been in England long?"

"I spent some time in our London office."

"You have a London office?"

"Small about a dozen people," said Tony. "Mostly tech people to serve to our European customers. We just put out a new Starkphone. Big European market."

"I heard Pepper yell at you about needing new products."

"Everyone wants the next great thing, and Stark Industries is known for having it. We rushed it through. I would have liked to have tinkered with it for another month or three, but us engineers always want to improve our toys. Pepper reigns me in." Tony wrapped an arm around Bruce and lead him down an escalator. "No more talking business. Time to honeymoon."

xxxx

Author's Note: I hope Jack doesn't sound like River Song in_ Silence in the Library_. Then there aren't many ways of doing a scene like that. If I didn't see _Silence in the Library_, I wouldn't have used the word 'spoilers', but the rest of the scene would have been the same. Then the word 'spoilers' is used a lot in fan fiction, so I take that back. Talking about _Silence in the Library_, did anyone else get a kick out of River and the Doctor having a picnic on Asgard?


	28. Chapter 28

Author's Note: Only a few more chapters left. Tony and Bruce are owned by Marvel and everyone else at Martha and Mickey's wedding, including the bride and groom, are owned by BBC. Since Martha is on her honeymoon during _The Torchwood series: Children of Earth_, Ianto Jones is still alive and dating Jack.

xxxx

Tony took Bruce to a small but nice hotel. The kitchen staff already had brought up food and wine, so the honeymoon couple wouldn't need to dress for room service. Bruce missed his inflight meal, so he happily munched on a pastry while Tony popped open the champagne and poured it into two glasses. The full size bed was nice and the room was clean, but it wasn't four-star.

"This hotel isn't your style," said Bruce.

"Big hotels have big lobbies with people asking for autographs," said Tony. "This is much more private."

Bruce took another bite of pastry. "Private is good."

"Put down your danish for a moment." Tony handed Bruce a glass of champagne. "To you and enjoying your company for many years to come."

Bruce smiled. "I'll drink to many happy years."

Tony clinked Bruce's glass with his. "Many happy years."

After the pastries and champagne, they had some mind-blowing sex. Since they didn't have Jarvis monitoring Bruce's vitals, Bruce told Tony when to give him the injection. Bruce had turned a bit green before the shot took affect but neither the hotel room or Tony was harmed.

Bruce looked at his ring finger afterward. "I broke my wedding band."

"I should have a welding kit somewhere." Tony found his welding kit in a drawer. "You never know when something will need fixing." He took the ring from Bruce and added a bit of solder, making the ring whole and a bit bigger. "We'll need to electroplate over the solder, but it's good for now."

After the solder cooled, Bruce put the ring back on then kissed Tony's cheek. "Thanks."

xxxx

Mickey and Martha had a church wedding and their reception was in a rented hall. After kissing the bride, Bruce walked over to Jack.

"Can we talk a second?" asked Bruce.

"Why did you shave?" said Jack. "You look more like you with facial hair."

"I shaved for the wedding. I forgot to pack a razor because Tony was on my case about wasting space packing deodorant and a toothbrush since he considers himself an expert on managing space limitations." Bruce had a beard when he met Jack. It was odd thinking about his future as past tense. What did that say about freewill? Jack was in England in 1869 after meeting Bruce in the future. Did that mean Bruce's life was fixed in time? Could Bruce cause his meeting with Jack not to occur or was the future fixed?

"No questions about the future."

Bruce had hundreds of questions about the future, but now wasn't the place. "A question about something else we have in common. Do you pack toiletries to keep us appearances?"

"No, but I don't feel the need to hide that I'm immortal," said Jack. "I do a lot of things I don't need to do either because I enjoy them or they make me feel more human. Do what makes you happy?"

"Then the toothbrush and deodorant stays," said Bruce.

"Bruce, I'm not immortal when I met you. In fact, I'm kind of a jerk. Don't tell me that I become immortal or anything else about my future. I hope we met again in this time line. Now that I no longer have a time machine, I travel in a straight line same as you." Jack took Bruce's hand. "What happened to your ring?"

"During sex, I took my medication a bit later than I usually do because I didn't have any external monitoring of my vital signs," explained Bruce. "It's nothing."

"Is another guy really sharing your body or is the other guy just another part of you?"

Bruce said, "I don't really know."

Jack let go of Bruce's hand. "You will be living with him for a very long time and, since you share a body, you don't get holidays off or even time-outs. I think you should try to figure that out. My humble opinion, your mileage may vary."

After a sit-down dinner, Bruce and Tony held hands as they watched Martha and her father dance. Then Martha danced with Mickey. Soon other people joined the happy couple on the dance floor.

Tony asked, "Do you want to dance?"

"My drip had side-effects - big green ones - so it's back to the drawing board," said Bruce.

Tony put his hand in his pocket. "I bought the anti-Epi-pen."

"Thanks," said Bruce. "But I'll sit this one out for now. Maybe, later."

Later, Martha asked him, "Would you like to dance?"

Tony said, "All his dances belong to me."

Bruce stood. "Tony?"

"Honey, do you want me to lead?" Tony asked, taking Bruce's hand.

Bruce nodded.

Tony led Bruce to the floor and held him in his arms as they swayed to the music and Bruce tried to follow Tony's feet without spending the whole time looking down. He told himself to feel Tony and move when he moves. The music and movement were very relaxing. Looking into Tony's eyes, Bruce let his feet follow Tony's feet.

"Have you ever danced before?" asked Tony.

"Not really," admitted Bruce.

"You're more bumping into my toes than stepping on my feet," said Tony.

"Holding you is nice," said Bruce.

"We'll practice dancing at home. We have balls to attend - only if you want to. As I said before, Pepper or Rhodey can be my plus-one whatever it is too much for you."

The music stopped.

"I married you in New York," Bruce said. "We wouldn't have been able to get married even in California. In Bangladesh, you can get thrown in jail for being gay and the death penalty is on the books. Dancing with you in public is important."

Tony led Bruce back to the table. "We should stick to slow dances for now to keep your heart from racing and the excitement to a minimum."

"Agreed." Bruce held Tony's hand. "According our time traveling friends, it will eventually be a non-issue. I'm all for doing my part to make that happen. I'm going to improve my pump, but being able to delay the other guy appearance to after a function is huge." Bruce thought about Tony calming the Hulk and, if the Hulk was another person, he needed time out. If he was just a part of Bruce, then Bruce needed the emotional release that the Hulk gave him. Either way, his mental health depended on letting the other guy out regularly. "We need to be seen in public as a couple."

When it was time to catch the bouquet, Martha asked for all the single ladies and Jack to line up. She didn't ask Ianto Jones, no relation to Martha, Jack's Significant Other, to join the ladies in catching the bouquet. Then Martha probably only knew him through Jack or just met him today. Martha's sister, Tish, caught the bouquet. Everyone waved good-bye as Mickey and Martha left for their honeymoon.

Tony said, "Let's go back to our hotel room and do more honeymooning."

"You don't have to say that twice."


	29. Chapter 29

Author's Note: Only the epilogue after this. I don't own the characters. Blah, blah, blah.

xxxx

After a few more days in London, Bruce and Tony took the private plane to Malibu. Tony showed Bruce around the mansion. Finally, he took him to a sub-basement. "This is a safe room for the other guy. You can cool down here without worrying about damaging property."

"The other guy doesn't do cages," said Bruce.

"It isn't a cage," said Tony. "I'll be here to talk you down. If not me, Jarvis is always here. I was working on making an android body for him because I've always wanted a robot butler, but I didn't have a bio-physicist on staff."

"I think if we make an android, it should be someone other than Jarvis. He or she can talk to Jarvis. Unless, of course, Jarvis wants a body."

"This house is my body, Sir," said the AI.

"We can use Jarvis as a prototype for the AI for the android, but he needs to be his own person. You want an android to live in his body like you and I live in ours. You give Jarvis a body, it's a remote body for him because he will still be living in the house and in your suit." Bruce opened a computer screen and started entering data. "The world is aging: Japan, Europe, then the US. People don't want an android butler as much as they want or need an android home-health aide."

"All those people living off of rice and beans can't afford a robot nurse," teased Tony.

"No, but nursing homes and retirement communities as well as individuals will be able to afford them. The market is huge." By now, Bruce had a display of the demographics on one of the monitors. "And it is only growing."

Bruce and Tony went to one of the sub-basement laboratories to get started fleshing out their ideas. Over the next few months, Bruce was talking to R&D about a prototype for an android home-health aide and was splitting his time between New York and California. Tony loved seeing Bruce working on a project that used his education and talents to do what he loved. Bruce was strutting.

Tony knew a lot about robots, but this was Bruce's baby. Bruce made improvements on his beta-blocker pump, so he could use it for conferences and long plane flights. Since he still had a problem with the excess adrenaline in his system, he needed to either find a safe location to Hulk-out or let his body completely cool down before stopping the drip. The latter was better but not always do-able because he had to carry the extra medication somewhere on his person. Bruce, finally, accepted himself enough to Hulk-out either around Tony or, when Tony was unavailable, Bruce's trusted personal assistant.

When he returned to Malibu, Bruce said, "Quality control is yelling, 'they need more safety protocols built into them.' Jarvis complains about each bump and bruise you get, but he allows you to do your work. He was even encouraging when you took off after that missile. Asimov's laws make good reading, but real life isn't that cut and dry."

"I agree," said Tony. "However, you want a robot nurse's first law to be no harm comes to her patient through action or inaction."

"Just her patient?" asked Bruce.

"Her patient is her first propriety."

"People will be buying these robots to keep their loved ones safe when they can't be there. They need to be able to follow the patient's orders, but with patients with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia, the patient's orders may not be good for their well-being." Bruce said, "We need the AI to disregard any orders that are harmful."

"Asimov's laws," said Tony. "The man was brilliant. Way ahead of his time. Just regarding the patient - we don't want a robot nurse policing a hospital - that's things of nightmares. At the same time, she needs to follow orders she doesn't approve of just like Jarvis does. It's complicated - that's why no one has built independently functioning robot nurses."

"But it can be done," said Bruce.

"Jarvis has all the qualities you want in a nurse robot," said Tony. "So it has been done. The problem is he is a too complicated system of software to be duplicated cost efficiently."

"We don't need to duplicate him," said Bruce. "My engineers tell me we have a working prototype. However, quality control is yelling safety protocols."

Tony put a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "We'll check out your Flo Nightingale together."

Although Tony didn't know if Bruce really will met Jack in the distant future, but Bruce believing he will be alive in over a hundred years made Bruce really work on being comfortable with himself and working with his limitations - accepting himself for who he was - a brilliant scientist with cutting edge ideas that, sometimes, changed into an enormous green rage monster when tensions got too high.


	30. Chapter 30

Author's Note: The Avengers and Spiderman belong to Marvel.

xxxx

When the robot home-health aides didn't need every millisecond of his time, Bruce researched time travel. Since Jack wouldn't give him the answers he needed, Bruce, a physicist, would just get the answers on his own. Then again, Jack was a former time agent and not a scientist, so he knew how to use a time machine, but didn't know the science behind it. Tony teased Bruce about his research. Bruce didn't want to build a time machine, since Jack and Martha had both traveled in time, it was kind of like rebuilding the wheel. He just wanted answers. Stephen Hawking's thought experiment about a man shooting himself through a time hole kept him up some nights. All Bruce's answers seemed to lead to more questions.

People didn't want their home-health aides too human because they stopped being cute after a certain point and entered uncanny valley. The product to hit the market had wheels because they were more stable than legs and a built-in drawer for medical equipment. Bruce thought the home-health aides looked a bit like Rosie from the Jetsons, but the AI was smart enough to keep a lonely person company while giving basic medical care, bathing the patient, preparing meals and feeding the patient.

The Avengers were needed to kick some mutated weirdos's butts, snake people of all things. When Hannah arrived at Stark Tower to see Steve being bandaged by Bruce, Hannah stared at Bruce's naked feet. Then she returned to holding Steve's hand.

"I'll be fine," said Steve. "My sped-up metabolism means I heal fast."

Hannah's eyes went back to the doctor's feet. "What happened to your shoes?"

Bruce had put on a lab coat over his ripped pants. Since the other Avengers needed him to help with their cuts, bruises and a broken bone (Steve's), Bruce couldn't waste time looking for shoes that fit. "Steve?"

"It isn't my place," Steve said, winching only a little.

"I'm an Avenger," explained Bruce.

"You were brought in because Dr. Selvig was indisposed," said Hannah.

"That's the lie Fury told the agent sent to get me," said Bruce. "He had a cage waiting."

Steve smiled, although Bruce could see he was biting back the pain from his broken collarbone and all the bruises healing while Bruce watched. Looking at Hannah's hand in his, Steve said, "Bruce has a problem saying the Hulk. We're used to him calling him things like the other guy, our green friend and the big guy."

Hannah looked at Bruce's ripped pants and naked feet. "You're a scientist. You build robots."

"The engineers on my staff built them," said Bruce. "I have some androids in my lab I built myself. The human body is a remarkable feat of engineering. I copied many of the systems."

Steve said, "Let Bruce show you around."

Hannah looked at his feet. "Shouldn't you get some shoes on?"

"I've walked miles with bare feet and my torn pants say Hulk more than the bare feet do." Bruce looked down at his lab coat, ripped pants and naked feet. He held his hands to keep them from shaking from nerves. "Now that I'm no longer practicing medicine, I'm not as worried about it leaking. I'm a private person and I don't want the attention, but the people here respect me as a scientist and that isn't going to change because I experimented on myself when I was young and foolish."

"I assume you can control it now," said Hannah. "But that wasn't always the case."

"He comes out when I want him to for the most part." Bruce hit the up button for the elevator. "It took lots of meditation to get to the point. I also use medication when deep-breathing may not be enough."

"That photographer?" said Hannah. "It makes sense now."

"Rhodey pulling him off me doesn't give him any proof of his outlandish claims," said Bruce. "And the Daily Bugle seems to need more proof than some kid thinking I look like a certain green monster."

"You going outside gave him proof," said Hannah.

"Proof of what?" asked Bruce. "Tony told our guests that I'm nervous around strangers. A photographer gets in my face and I leave. Nothing odd about that. If a photographer accused you of being a monster when you were minding your business, you would be shaken-up, too."

Hannah looked at the elevator. "I suppose."

"I almost fell off my seat when Tony said that the other guy doesn't do black tie and then he said he was Ironman for anymore that has been living under a rock for six years." Bruce smiled. "It didn't help that I was stoned."

"You aren't stoned now?"

"No, changing into the other guy makes me tired," Bruce admitted.

"You can rest," said Hannah. "I'll reschedule the tour for a later date. I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks." Bruce watched Hannah head back to where Steve was resting. Then, he went to the penthouse to get some sleep. He fell asleep thinking about time travel. Nothing in science said time travel was impossible - difficult - impractical, but not impossible. An average-sized man becoming a hulking beast was impossible since it violated conservation of mass. Jack and Martha had time traveled - they had met time-traveling with this Doctor not named John Smith. Bruce fell asleep thinking about fixed points in time.

Bruce woke to find himself wrapped around Tony, who must have joined him in bed while Bruce was still sleeping. "Wake up; I need to talk."

"Huh," said Tony.

"I can't go back in time and prevent my accident because, if the Hulk didn't subdue Loki, Natasha wouldn't have been able to close the portal. I never saw it that way before. I matter. The Hulk matters."

Tony kissed Bruce's cheek. "You matter. You matter to me and all those people buying Carrie Caregivers. You are perfect the way you are."

"The Hulk killed people."

"He's better behaved now," said Tony. "He did call Spiderman Bug Boy and throw one of the Snake people at him."

"He did?" asked Bruce.

"It's OK because Spider Brat leaped out of the way then trapped the Snake man in a web."

"Should we tell Steve who Spiderman is?"

Tony laughed. "No way."

Bruce grimaced, not wanting other people to tell his secrets. Parker had the right to his secrets even if he was bad at keeping them. Tony and Pepper knew then Tony told Bruce. Well, Pepper told him, too, but that was after Tony had told him. Well, Tony didn't exactly tell him, but Tony had said something to Parker to shut him up.

"Let the old man argue with the teenager," said Tony.

"If you don't count the time Steve spent frozen, he isn't that much older than Parker," said Bruce. "Scary thought. I could have a child Parker's age."

"We would not allow him to run around in spandex," said Tony. "Our child would be better behaved."

"Do you want to adopt him?" Bruce traced a finger along Tony's chest.

"Not adopt," said Tony. "But I could offer him an internship."

Maybe, Parker would like working with robots. Carrie Caregiver was an awful name for a robot. He was sure a lot of people would renamed their robot, but then, people use the word 'password' as their password. Bruce didn't do marketing - they hired people to do that. And their pre-orders said the name was spot on or people needed a caregiver robot and didn't care what horrible name marketing gave her.

The End

xxxx

Author's Note: I may write a sequel with Spidey Brat. I've been a fan of Spiderman since the series ran on Fox in the 90's. I'm a fan of Mary Jane and only know Gwen from the one movie. So I'm not sure how that will work out. However, with Peter promising Gwen's father that he wasn't going to see her, he may be trying to avoid Gwen more than see her. Then, of course, Gwen has other plans. :)


End file.
